Following Pressure from New Hampshire Congressional Delegation, USPS Announces It Will Pause Implementation of Changes to Manchester Mail Distribution Center

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01), released the following statement in response to the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) decision to temporarily pause planned changes to mail distribution from the Manchester Processing and Distribution Center until January 1, 2025, after repeated calls from the delegation to stop implementation and strong opposition from the public:

“We appreciate that USPS is finally beginning to heed our calls—and the calls of the public—and has agreed to pause implementation of changes to the Manchester Processing and Mail Distribution Center. While this is a positive step for Granite Staters who deserve reliable and fast mail services, the fight is not over. The New Hampshire Congressional Delegation will continue to urge USPS to make this pause permanent and will work to ensure all public and Postal Service employee concerns are taken into account in any future decisions.” 

The Postal Service’s decision follows a recent bipartisan letter that Shaheen and Hassan sent alongside 19 Senate colleagues, calling on USPS to pause planned changes to its processing and delivery network that could slow down mail delivery until the potential impacts are further studied by the Postal Regulatory Commission and addressed by the Postal Service. The temporary pause also applies to the White River Junction Processing and Distribution Center, which serves Granite Staters in the North Country.  

The entire New Hampshire delegation has staunchly supported efforts to ensure that Granite Staters can receive mail in a timely manner from the Postal Service. The delegation worked together to introduce bicameral, bipartisan legislation that would prohibit USPS from consolidating, closing, or downgrading a processing and distribution center if it would leave a state without one or negatively impact mail delivery across a state.   

In February, the delegation sent a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy expressing concerns about plans for the Manchester Processing and Distribution Center, noting that they could be damaging to mail service in New Hampshire and urging the USPS to reconsider. The delegation also raised these concerns at a press conference outside the facility. The USPS received an outpouring of negative feedback from Granite Staters and postal workers, amplified by the Congressional delegation and other stakeholders, on its plans.  ? 

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