U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine’s 2nd District will propose legislation to freeze the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to move some mail processing operations from Hampden to southern Maine.
The postal service announced the move Tuesday after a months-long review of the Hampden facility as part of its 10-year plan to reverse $60 billion in projected losses by 2030. As a result, mail will be processed at the facility in Scarborough before being delivered to residents around the state and elsewhere.
Postal workers and congressional leaders, including Golden and U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, have warned for months that a consolidation would lead to job losses and worse service. On Wednesday, Golden called the move “unacceptable to Mainers who rely on timely mail service” for paying bills and receiving medication.
“The move already caused significant delivery delays across the state when trialed last year, and will exacerbate existing challenges the USPS faces in fulfilling its obligation to Maine’s rural communities,” he said.
Golden’s bill would eliminate funding for the postal service’s review process of mail processing facilities. This would block the agency’s plans to shift some operations from Hampden to Scarborough, according to his office.
The legislation would also require the Postal Regulatory Commission to review any future proposals to consolidate, according to a draft. The commission is an independent agency whose members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
