A resolution urging the Postmaster General to improve mail processing and correct delivery issues across North Dakota has passed the state House of Representatives and Senate is making its way to Washington.

Rep. Don Longmuir, R-Stanley, introduced the resolution at the request of the North Dakota Newspaper Association (NDNA), and it attained final passage on the consent agenda of the North Dakota Senate on Friday. The House had adopted it Feb. 5.

Longmuir said he is hopeful the resolution will be impactful.

“The more notice they get, the more they will start paying attention,” he said.

“This bill was, frankly, a slam dunk,” said Cecile Wehrman, NDNA executive director, in a news release. She said everyone has their own postal horror story.

The bill details the reliance of individuals, businesses, governments and organizations on mail service and noted the significant disruptions caused by late and inconsistent mail delivery and the challenges in obtaining clear and timely information from the postal service. It calls for more transparency and the use of advances in technology and operational processes to improve mail processing capabilities.

Testimony on the bill ranged from individual newspapers sharing the frustrations of subscribers to cattle producers who have experienced challenges in sending out yearly production sales catalogs and perishable meats, according to NDNA.

The postal service standard for delivery of weekly newspapers is two to nine days to arrive “on time” at destinations outside the immediate area of any distribution center, the organization stated.

“News from local communities in rural areas ought to – and always used to – have a priority,” Wehrman said.

Legislators also heard from those who rely on the postal service to deliver medicine and medical supplies.

“I am very concerned because we have a number of veterans who live in our area, and a lot of prescriptions are filled by mail. What do these people do who are waiting on medications?” Longmuir said. He said he shared with a legislative committee his own experiences with a late payment notice from a utility company, which arrived two weeks ahead of the previously mailed bill. He said he’s also had properly addressed packages returned to sender.

Though the North Dakota Legislature has no role in regulating postal service, Wehrman said in the release, the resolution will help create awareness on the part of federal postal officials. Copies of the resolution will be provided to the state’s congressional delegation, in addition to the U.S. Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy.

North Dakota Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer have committed staff time to the mail service issue in recent years, which resulted in a roundtable discussion with regional postal officials last August.

“North Dakotans depend on reliable and timely mail service,” Sen. John Hoeven said. “We support the state legislature’s call for improvements at the Postal Service and will continue working to resolve issues that our constituents bring to our attention. That means pressing USPS leadership both locally and in D.C. for answers, solutions and transparency, while working to support efforts to ensure the Postal Service can recruit the workforce it needs to serve our communities.”

“North Dakotans rely on the Postal Service for everything from bills to prescription medications, and timely and efficient mail delivery is essential. The chronic, systemic delivery issues in Minot and across the state are frustrating, unacceptable, and disrupt trust in the USPS,” Cramer said. “We have been working on behalf of our constituents to elevate and address these concerns with USPS, including outreach to leadership and calls for the auditing of various post offices and processing centers. Our state legislators in Bismarck understand the importance of a Postal Service that truly serves North Dakotans, and Postmaster DeJoy should recognize the significance of the resolution and the need for change in our state.”