Central ND News

Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, along with Representative Kelly Armstrong, announced today that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to delay the implementation of the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Mail Processing Facility Review (MPFR). This includes proposed changes to processing in Grand Forks and Bismarck, which will now be postponed until after January 1, 2025.

The delegation expressed their satisfaction with this decision. "We are pleased that the Postal Service has agreed to our request to pause proposals to change how mail is processed in Grand Forks and Bismarck," they said. They have consistently voiced community concerns regarding these proposals and emphasized the need for any processing changes to enhance mail service for customers. The delegation stated that during this pause, they would continue pressing USPS to ensure any potential future changes work for local communities.

The potential impact of moving mail processing out of these local communities on timely mail delivery has been a recurring point of discussion between the delegation and USPS. In addition, Senators Hoeven and Cramer joined a bipartisan Senate effort last week urging USPS to halt the MPFR and conduct a comprehensive study on any potential changes.

This announcement comes as part of ongoing efforts by Senators Hoeven, Cramer, and Representative Armstrong to address concerns about delayed delivery of mail, packages, newspapers, as well as proposed changes to mail processing facilities. Earlier this year, the North Dakota delegation secured a commitment from the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) to expand its postal audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District. This expansion includes Dickinson, Grand Forks and Fargo in addition to Bismarck, Mandan and Minot.

The interim results of this audit were released in March with findings for Bismarck, Mandan and Minot. The USPS OIG informed the delegation that the full district-wide audit is expected to be completed in June. This audit will include recommendations on how to improve delivery and mail service across North Dakota.