Sen. Moran Urges Postmaster General to Resolve Mail Delivery Issues Affecting Colwich Residents

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today urged Postmaster General & CEO David Steiner to address current mail delivery issues that threaten the ability of Colwich residents to receive important U.S. Postal Service deliveries, including absentee ballots, Medicare-related correspondence and other critical federal mail. “My office has heard from constituents who are concerned with the delivery of absentee ballots, Medicare related correspondence, and other mail critical to their everyday life,” wrote Sen. Moran. “To that end, I respectfully request that USPS identify an administrative solution that ensures Colwich residents can reliably receive essential mail. Specifically, I ask that USPS consider incorporating Colwich into a nearby existing residential delivery route or establishing a new delivery route specifically for the residents of Colwich.” “Residents of Colwich should have the same ability to receive important federal correspondence as residents of larger, urban cities,” continued Sen. Moran. “While I recognize the operational challenges USPS faces in serving rural towns, I am concerned that the current system leaves Kansans at a disadvantage through no fault of their own.” The full letter be found here and below. Dear Postmaster General Steiner, I write regarding an issue affecting residents of Colwich, Kansas, that could result in critical federal mail being returned to sender. Unlike most communities in the United States, Colwich does not receive residential mail delivery. Instead, USPS has determined that, due to cost effectiveness and staffing shortages, residents will be served exclusively through complimentary PO Boxes at the local post office rather than through home delivery. While that approach may have once been sufficient, it’s clear that the practice of solely delivering mail to PO boxes is no longer an effective means of ensuring residents in Colwich can reliably receive important federal correspondence. For many years, mail addressed to residents' physical addresses was placed into their assigned PO Boxes, allowing Colwich residents to continue receiving important correspondence despite the absence of residential mail delivery. Following a change in personnel, that longstanding practice came to an end, and mail addressed to a resident's physical address is now returned to sender if it does not include the assigned PO Box, consistent with USPS policy. While I appreciate USPS providing residents ample notice before implementing this change, the warning does not solve the underlying issue. Because Colwich residents do not have the option of residential mail delivery, they are left caught between USPS policies and the requirements of other federal agencies, such as CMS, the IRS, and the US Election Commission, that often require the use of a physical address rather than a PO Box. As a result, my office has heard from constituents who are concerned with the delivery of absentee ballots, Medicare related correspondence, and other mail critical to their everyday life. To that end, I respectfully request that USPS identify an administrative solution that ensures Colwich residents can reliably receive essential mail. Specifically, I ask that USPS consider incorporating Colwich into a nearby existing residential delivery route or establishing a new delivery route specifically for the residents of Colwich. Since its founding, the United States Postal Service has played a pivotal role in ensuring that every American, regardless of where they live, remains connected to their government, their communities, and to one another. Residents of Colwich should have the same ability to receive important federal correspondence as residents of larger, urban cities. While I recognize the operational challenges USPS faces in serving rural towns, I am concerned that the current system leaves Kansans at a disadvantage through no fault of their own. I am confident the Postal Service shares the goal of ensuring every American has reliable access to essential mail, and I stand ready to work together to identify a practical solution that fulfills that mission. # # #