Several Oklahoma lawmakers and rural community leaders are urging the state’s U.S. senators to protect dependable mail service as the U.S. Senate considers nominees to the United States Postal Service Board of Governors.
Oklahoma Representatives Nick Archer, Josh Cantrell, Daniel Pae and David Smith said reliable postal service remains essential for rural communities.
They cited its importance to farmers, ranchers, small businesses, seniors receiving medications, veterans and families handling important documents.
“Reliable rural mail service is deeply personal to me,” said Archer. “My grandmother served as postmaster in Texola, Oklahoma, from 1987 until 2005. When she retired, the post office closed. I’ve seen firsthand what the loss of postal service means to a small rural community. In my district, dependable mail remains critical for producers, small businesses, seniors receiving medications, and families handling important documents. I hope our federal delegation will vet these nominees carefully and ask how they intend to protect reliable service and ensure rural states like Oklahoma continue to have a voice in postal policy.”
Their comments echo concerns raised by the McAlester Area Chamber of Commerce in a letter to U.S. Senator James Lankford.
Chamber President and CEO Caroline Russell said reliable postal service is infrastructure in rural Oklahoma, where residents and businesses often have few alternatives.
The chamber urged the Senate to carefully review the nominees’ qualifications, experience and understanding of the Postal Service’s public service mission.
The USPS Board of Governors establishes long-term policies and provides oversight of the Postal Service.
