Amid ongoing challenges faced by the U.S. Postal Service, including staffing shortages and supply-chain issues, communities nationwide have struggled with unexpected post office closures and difficulties in communicating their needs to the agency.

In response to concerns over those closures, U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, have introduced the Mandating Advisable and Informed Locations and Solutions Act.

The legislation requires the USPS to seek community input before relocating post offices and gives local governments the ability to request new facilities to better serve their residents.

The bill aims to address the hardships caused by sudden closures, particularly in rural areas where postal services are essential to daily life.

“In Hawai‘i, where many people live in rural or remote areas, the Postal Service is a lifeline for everything from essential goods to staying connected with loved ones,” Schatz said in a statement. “Our bill ensures that people in Hawai‘i and across the country have a voice in decisions about keeping post offices in their communities.”

Schatz has long advocated for maintaining postal services in the state. In 2020, he helped secure funding through a government spending bill to ensure Hawaii post offices remained operational.