Congressmen Sorensen, LaHood Help Prevent Closure of USPS Mail Processing and Distribution Center in Peoria in Effort to Protect Jobs

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressmen Eric Sorensen (IL-17) and Darin LaHood (IL-16) applauded the announcement from the United States Postal Service's (USPS) that the Peoria Mail Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) will remain open at current staffing levels. For over a year, Congressmen Sorensen and LaHood have been urging USPS officials to keep the Peoria center open in an effort to protect the jobs there that help ensure Central Illinois' mail service is not disrupted.

"The Peoria Processing and Distribution Center provides essential services to our community, small businesses, farmers, and veterans," said Congressmen Sorensen and LaHood. "We are pleased that USPS has committed to pausing any additional changes through 2025. Together, we will work in a bipartisan manner to protect high-paying and high-quality jobs in Peoria and throughout Central Illinois."

In February 2024, they sent a letterto USPS leadership questioning their consideration of moving jobs in Peoria to the South Suburban P&DC in Bedford Park, Illinois which would hurt working families and may increase delivery times for residents. A month later, Congressman Sorensen sent another letterurging USPS leadership to reconsider their decision to eliminate the Peoria Processing and Distribution Center. Later in May 2024, they secured a pausein "any implementation of moves" for processing centers "at least until January 1, 2025," which led to the announcement today.