Cape News

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has called on the newly appointed Postmaster General, David Steiner, to address ongoing issues with mail delivery reliability in Missouri and across rural America. In a letter sent Tuesday, Hawley criticized the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) performance under previous leadership and urged immediate changes.

“USPS failed to meet its own nationwide performance targets in nearly every category, and the problem was even worse in my home state of Missouri, where on-time delivery rates dropped below 77% in fiscal year 2024. This is unacceptable,” Senator Hawley wrote. “Rural families, small businesses, and veterans depend on reliable mail service for everything from prescription medications to Social Security checks. They deserve a Postal Service that works for them.”

Hawley specifically asked Steiner to stop the implementation of the Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) plan. According to Hawley, “immediately halt the implementation of the Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) plan” because the Postal Regulatory Commission has already concluded it would have “significant negative impacts on rural communities throughout the United States.”

Earlier this year, Hawley introduced legislation titled the No Regional Transportation Optimization Act. The bill aims to block USPS from moving forward with its RTO plan, which would eliminate end-of-day mail collection at most post offices and could lead to further disruptions for rural residents.

In his letter, Hawley congratulated Steiner on his appointment as Postmaster General but stressed that recent reforms had resulted in persistent delays and reduced service reliability: “During the tenure of your predecessor, the Delivering for America plan resulted in persistent mail delays, higher costs, and reduced service reliability across the country.” He added that he hopes Steiner will focus on improving service quality without sacrificing rural needs.

Hawley closed by urging USPS leadership to restore timely and reliable mail service nationwide: “The Postal Service remains a vital lifeline for millions of Americans. Its leadership should be committed to ensuring reliable, accessible, and affordable mail service—not just in major cities, but in every small town, family farm, and rural community in this country.”