MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds says he is stepping up efforts to force improvements to U.S. Postal Service delivery times in South Dakota, arguing that rural residents deserve the same level of service as the rest of the country.

Rounds said his office is working on a strategy aimed at prompting operational changes within the Postal Service. He emphasized that mail delays continue to affect South Dakotans and said he intends to keep pressing the issue.

“Just because you live in a rural state doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to get your mail on time,” Rounds said. “There are certain expectations for when mail delivery occurs and they’re not meeting it. We’re going to just keep pounding on it. And one way or another, we’re going to be enough of an irritation to where they finally fix it.”

Rounds is urging USPS officials to restore a regional mail processing facility that was previously moved out of state, saying the shift has contributed to slower delivery times. He believes reinstating the facility would shorten mail routes and improve reliability for residents and businesses.