As Georgians reel from a postal service slowdown, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy faced a barrage of questions and critiques in Washington. Following the consolidation of operations into a new regional processing center in Palmetto, Georgia, mail has been lagging, spurring complaints from residents, and drawing attention from lawmakers demanding swift action.

During a D.C. hearing, Senator Jon Ossoff grilled DeJoy on a precipitous drop to a 36% on-time delivery rate for first-class mail, "You've got weeks, not months to fix this. And if you don't fix it, 36% on-time delivery, I don't think you're fit for this job," Ossoff said, according to WABE. In response, DeJoy cited operation scale and stringent movement schedules for personnel as contributing factors to the delays.

The plummeting performance statistics make a stark contrast: a dismal 42% of first-class mail was reported on-time in March compared to February's 81%. Consequently, average delivery times spiraled from three to five days, reflecting the tumult following the opening of the Palmetto facility at February's end.

Congressional representatives from Georgia have pinpointed the significant repercussions of the service disruption, including postponed deliveries of essential items like medication, tax returns, and absentees election ballots. DeJoy has been urged by some officials to visit Georgia and witness the chaos firsthand. In an apology, the USPS professed plans to improve by investing in new sorting equipment and projecting a 60-day window for service enhancement.

To keep track of how the USPS is performing locally, residents can enter their information on USPS's website to get updates on the service in their area. The organization's promise to ameliorate conditions comes amidst increased scrutiny from both public and officials who are growing impatient with the pace of improvement.