December 14, 2023

Manchin Submits Public Comment to USPS to Express Support for Charleston Postal Facility, Employees

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, submitted a public comment to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to express his support for the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) and its employees. The comment follows USPS’s November announcement to conduct a Mail Processing Facility Review on the facility, Senator Manchin’s subsequent conversation with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his recent visit to the facility.

“I am submitting this comment as the Senior Senator for West Virginia to express my unwavering support for the dedicated, hardworking postal workers—my constituents—at the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center facility. After visiting the facility again recently, it is clear to me that West Virginia is home to the hardest working, most loyal workers in the nation who take pride in their jobs,” Senator Manchin wrote in part. “I would like to express my adamant opposition to any closure of or reduction in services or resources at the facility, including any potential staffing reassignments or layoffs.”

“I had a productive call with Postmaster General DeJoy, and he made a commitment to me that the Postal Service will deliver major investments to the facility to better meet the demands of the public and the market. My staff and I will continue to work with the Postal Service to ensure it follows through on the Postmaster General’s commitment and that these improvements will modernize and revitalize this critical lifeline and bring the highest level of service for the people of West Virginia,” Senator Manchin continued.

The full public comment is available below.

I am submitting this comment as the Senior Senator for West Virginia to express my unwavering support for the dedicated, hardworking postal workers—my constituents—at the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center facility. After visiting the facility again recently, it is clear to me that West Virginia is home to the hardest working, most loyal workers in the nation who take pride in their jobs. I have seen this time and again at federal facilities across our state. The West Virginians who work at this facility believe in the mission of the US Postal Service and come to work every day to keep the mail running efficiently. They believe that if given the chance to grow the facility, they can save the US Postal Service much needed funding while operating in the most efficient manner possible. I am confident that the metrics will prove this facility has delivered success and is poised for future growth.

While I appreciate Postmaster General DeJoy’s commitment to me that the South Charleston facility will not have one single layoff, I remain concerned about potential staffing reassignments. Some of the postal employees at the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center facility already commute upwards of 50 miles one way for work. Extending the commuting time will put more strain on them and their families, making it harder for USPS to retain these valuable workers. Additionally, Charleston has a lower cost of living and operations than Pittsburgh, so keeping these workers in West Virginia will not only retain their heritage, but also will save the US Postal Service money and prevent additional unnecessary expenditures that would be required to train a new workforce. The impact on the postal workers must be taken into consideration before any decision is made following the Mail Processing Facility Review. Any decision must also consider the importance of the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center facility to many of my constituents, especially older Americans and Veterans who live in rural communities and rely on timely postal services for life-saving medications or hard-earned federal benefits.

Following the announcement of the Mail Processing Facility Review, I had a productive call with Postmaster General DeJoy, and he made a commitment to me that the Postal Service will deliver major investments to the facility to better meet the demands of the public and the market. My staff and I will continue to work with the Postal Service to ensure it follows through on the Postmaster General’s commitment and that these improvements will modernize and revitalize this critical lifeline and bring the highest level of service for the people of West Virginia. I have enjoyed working on issues with Postmaster General DeJoy throughout the years and look forward to continuing that good work.

Finally, I would like to express my adamant opposition to any closure of or reduction in services or resources at the facility, including any potential staffing reassignments or layoffs. Any of these changes to the ongoing operations of Charleston Processing and Distribution Center would increase costs and adversely impact service to West Virginians who most rely on the Postal Service. I remain your dedicated partner to “keep the mail running” and look forward to delivering on Postmaster General DeJoy’s commitment to deliver major investments to the facility.

Senator Manchin encourages every West Virginian to submit comments to the USPS at the link here urging the USPS to keep the West Virginia mail processing facility in the state.