Georgia mail delays: Ossoff, Dejoy tangle during Senate hearing

ATLANTA - The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) faced intense scrutiny during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Thursday, as lawmakers examined ongoing service delays and upcoming operational changes.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy defended the agency’s performance and plans, citing efforts to modernize the postal system through its 10-year "Delivering for America" initiative. This plan includes consolidating processing facilities, such as the new distribution center in Palmetto aimed at reducing costs and improving efficiency.

"Delivery in Georgia has been abysmal this year," said Sen. Jon Ossoff. 

Earlier this year, Georgia's mail delivery performance came under fire when on-time delivery rates plummeted following the consolidation of operations at the Palmetto facility. While USPS officials initially assured improvements within 60 days, delays persisted. Metro Atlanta has been one of the hardest hit when it comes to delivery issues. Earlier this year, mail was delivered on time just 36% of the time, but things have finally improved.

"Has your tenure as Postmaster General been a success," Ossoff asked. 

"Senator, I know how you feel about me, you've been quite public," DeJoy responded. "You think I'm a failure, fine, I don't.

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According to USPS data, the latest figures from November show about 75% of first-class mail in metro Atlanta is now being delivered on time. However, this is still well below the standard many Georgians expect, especially during the busy holiday season when timely delivery of packages, bills, and medications is crucial.

During the hearing, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff pressed DeJoy on the agency’s progress.

"You said in April that we’d be ‘where we need to be in about 60 days,’" Ossoff said. "It’s been 233 days. Are we where we need to be?"

"Where we're going to be for a little bit, yes," DeJoy responded.

"The service is probably at the level of service where you were before I started these changes," DeJoy said.

"We're not," Senator Ossoff responded.

"Yes, we are," DeJoy said.

"I've got the numbers in front of me, we’re not," Ossoff said.

"I don’t know the numbers you got," DeJoy said.

Ossoff says this late in the game, 75% is unacceptable for Georgians who rely on the mail for prescriptions and small businesses trying to make a living.

"Service in Georgia is within less than three days, people get all their mail packages and everything," DeJoy said. "That will be the target, what we're what we're trying to shoot for."

Ossoff says his goal is to get answers and better service for Georgians.

"You're sitting here trying to explain that 75% on time delivery is a success," he said.

The hearing also focused on service standard changes set to take effect next year, alongside nationwide facility consolidations. While DeJoy emphasized these measures as necessary cost-saving steps, critics argue they could exacerbate delays in regions already struggling with mail delivery issues.

Mail delays impacting Georgians

For many Georgians, the current 75% on-time delivery rate falls short of expectations, particularly for those who rely on the mail for essential items.

With the holiday season in full swing, timely delivery remains a top concern for residents and businesses alike.

The USPS says it plans to continue implementing its modernization initiatives while addressing performance gaps in key areas, including Georgia.