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WASHINGTON – MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging him to restore reliable mail service in South Dakota. Customers across the state are facing persistent delays, with letters and newspapers mailed within the state taking weeks to arrive.

“Feedback from my constituents is clear: USPS service has significantly declined across South Dakota,” said Rounds. “It is therefore clear to me that USPS’s operational changes are failing South Dakota and do not comply with USPS obligations for universal service under federal law.”

“P.S. I am emailing this to you because if I mailed it, you might not receive this letter in time,” concluded Rounds.

Rounds has been a leader on USPS issues in South Dakota, leading the push to keep local processing facilities in South Dakota. In April 2024, Rounds sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging USPS to avoid downsizing or significantly reorganizing mail processing operations in South Dakota. As a result, in February 2025, USPS committed to keeping the Dakota Central processing facility in Huron open, as well as investing $3 million in improvements to the facility. Rounds also secured a commitment from former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to keep mail that originates within South Dakota from leaving the state for processing.

In addition, Rounds first introduced the Postal Processing Protection Act in June 2024, legislation that would require USPS to consider consequences for rural areas during their closure or downsizing review process in order to protect rural mail processing facilities. Rounds recently reintroduced this legislation in the 119th Congress.

Earlier this year, Rounds introduced the Deliver for Democracy Act, which would protect rural newspapers and consumers from unjustified price hikes by making certain the Postal Service is held to a standard for on-time deliveries. Rounds is also the Senate lead on the Instituting Notification Formalities on Reorganizing Mail (INFORM) Act of 2025, legislation to require the USPS to post a physical notice within impacted storefronts explaining any proposed changes in service.

Read the full text of the letter HERE or below.

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Dear Postmaster General Steiner:

I write to express serious concerns about persistent and widespread United States Postal Service (USPS) delays occurring across South Dakota.

Last year, I expressed significant reservations about USPS not adequately considering the impact of facility realignment/downsizing under the Mail Processing Facility Review on rural states like South Dakota. As a result, Postmaster General DeJoy made a personal commitment to me that South Dakota mail would stay in the state. He also assured me that mail in South Dakota would still meet service standards.

Neither is happening. In recent weeks, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with USPS service in my state. These issues are caused by the flawed design of the USPS network, which all but guarantees that mail traveling across or to South Dakota must travel in a circuitous manner through locations around and outside of the state. The result is that mail in South Dakota is delivered well outside of acceptable standards. These delays are worsened by implementation of transportation optimization schemes, which have caused USPS to deliver dozens of local newspapers late.

I have also heard of significant delays from veterans who depend on USPS for vital medications. USPS delays also mean that by the time a veteran’s Community Care Network appointment letter arrives, the appointment date has already passed and results in a missed appointment. Furthermore, a leading private sector regional health care system told me that by the time some delayed medications arrived, they could no longer be used. They also told me that those issues had become persistent and at times reached the “point of jeopardizing patient care.”

Feedback from my constituents is clear: USPS service has significantly declined across South Dakota. It is therefore clear to me that USPS’s operational changes are failing South Dakota and do not comply with USPS obligations for universal service under federal law.

I ask that you immediately investigate these concerns and begin work to make all changes necessary to restore reliable mail service to South Dakota. Within the next seven days, I request a meeting to discuss these issues with you and proposed solutions.

P.S. I am emailing this to you because if I mailed it, you might not receive this letter in time.