Rounds Requests Investigation into Postal Service Issues in South Dakota

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has formally requested an investigation into the persistent issues with United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery in South Dakota. In a letter to Tammy Hull, Inspector General of USPS, Rounds asked for Hull to determine the root cause of mail issues impacting South Dakota, as well as consider the need for a regional processing facility in South Dakota.

In September, Rounds sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging him to restore reliable mail service and requesting a meeting. Rounds and Steiner met in October. Steiner followed up on the meeting with a letter dismissing the issues raised by Rounds, claiming that the mail delays were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City despite none of these facilities handling South Dakota’s intrastate mail.

“In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with USPS service in my state,” wrote Rounds. “I believe 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 people of South Dakota depend on the Postal Service for critical communication, medicine and care,” continued Rounds. “I request that you act swiftly to identify and resolve the causes of these failures and help return South Dakota’s mail service to the standards Americans deserve.”

BACKGROUND:

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 Inspector General Hull:

In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with United States Postal Service (USPS) service in my state.

This includes intrastate mail, package and periodicals as well poorer service compared to the district average on all classes of inbound and outbound mail. I believe 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. As a result, mail delivered in South Dakota is arriving outside of acceptable service standards.

Unfortunately, these systemic inefficiencies are not just inconveniences, they’re directly affecting the health and well-being of South Dakotans. Delays have resulted in veterans missing Community Care Network appointments because the letter arrived after the scheduled appointment date. Furthermore, a leading private sector regional health care system has reported that by the time some delayed medications arrived, they could no longer be used. These issues have become persistent and at times reached the “point of jeopardizing patient care.”

I believe USPS service performance on intrastate mail and periodicals in South Dakota has in some cases deteriorated to critical levels that impacts the lives of everyday South Dakotans and degrades my ability to communicate with constituents.

I expressed my concerns about this to the Postmaster General (PMG) Steiner who downplayed such issue existed in South Dakota. PMG Steiner also noted that he believed that delays in mail sent across South Dakota were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. However, none of these facilities handle South Dakota’s intrastate mail.

Despite clear evidence of poor performance of USPS mail products especially intrastate mail, USPS senior leadership denies a problem exists. Therefore, I request the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of USPS investigate these concerns and make the necessary recommendations to USPS to restore reliable mail service to South Dakota.

As part of this investigation, I request that USPS OIG work to determine root causes of mail delays impacting South Dakotans; assess processes regarding handling of mail and packages, transportation schedules, facility constraints, staffing and current design of mail flows though the USPS processing network; and evaluate claims made by USPS during the Mail Processing Facility Review process that 3454 Origin/Destinating Pairs in South Dakota would “receive service performance upgrades and no service performance downgrades”. As you formulate recommendations for reform, I would also ask that you evaluate the need for the construction of a regional processing facility in South Dakota.

The people of South Dakota depend on the Postal Service for critical communication, medicine and care. I request that you act swiftly to identify and resolve the causes of these failures and help return South Dakota’s mail service to the standards Americans deserve.

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