Bipartisan Effort Stops USPS transfer of Reno Mail Processing Facility to Sacramento

Back in February, Congressional representatives Mark Amodei, Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez-Masto sent a letter of opposition to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy highlighting their concerns over USPS’s proposed transfer of the Reno mail processing center to Sacramento, CA.

In their letter, the bipartisan delegation stressed “the potential impact of such changes to mail service reliability, the local economy, and jobs in the community” and voiced their frustration related to the lack of transparency related to the USPS decision. They noted that the over 220,000 Nevada veterans who receive their life-saving medications through the mail may encounter significant delays, and further emphasize the winter weather conditions between Reno and Sacramento that would impede the two-day mail delivery standard, “a standard that USPS already struggles to meet.”

Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, Washoe County Interim Registrar Cari-Ann Burgess, Washoe County, and Republican Governor Joe Lombardo also opposed the transfer and raised similar concerns if the bipartisan congressional delegation. Washoe County responded by filing a federal lawsuit.

Today, USPS, led by Postmaster Louis De Joy, announced they have scrapped the move and will retain the Reno mail processing facility due to the “identification of enhanced efficiencies in proposed operational improvements, along with related refinements within the existing service standards.” According to their announcement, bulk mail will be processed in Sacramento, while single-piece mail processing will remain in Reno.

Governor Lombardo praised the move, referring to it as a “great news for our state and represents a huge bipartisan victory for Nevada, adding that the bipartisan coalition protected Nevadans from “misguided D.C bureaucracy.” Senator Rosen claimed she “lead the effort” and was a “huge win” for Northern Nevadans. Rep. Amodei also commended the decision to overturn the “ill-advised plan” and has requested a meeting with the Postal Service to “ensure strong oversight presence” of the Reno processing facility.