When living in a Western state with a low population, good representation in Congress is really important. In addition to two senators, there is only one representative in Congress to meet Wyoming’s needs.
I’ve heard people from other states tell me how lucky Wyoming is to have our current delegation in place.
I always respond, “We are fortunate and proud of it.”
One of the reasons we feel so fortunate is our congressional delegation understands issues such as water, public lands, endangered species, Western infrastructure, agriculture, energy and small communities.
We also appreciate their professional demeanor while accomplishing their duties in Washington, D.C. and here at home. They always show respect for others, which is evident in the fact they all are selected for leadership roles in Congress.
Those leadership roles are so vital to Wyoming and the West. Being a ranking member of a committee carries a lot of weight in Congress.
Most people in Wyoming and across the West realize some individuals in Congress and the current administration want to change agriculture, energy and our way of life. They do this by ignoring Congress and the Supreme Court, printing more money, agency rules and presidential executive orders.
This socialistic method of bypassing Congress and the Supreme Court is going to take years to undo. Top-down government overreach is not what a democracy should look like. Some in Washington, D.C. are selecting Republican states for the most overreach.
As many know, Wyoming is facing issues with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) regarding the removal of the last two processing centers from Casper and Cheyenne and moving them to Billings, Mont. and Denver.
This is part of the USPS Delivering for America plan, which is trying to be more efficient and make more money. What they fail to consider is Wyoming is not a metropolis. It has a number of small communities with large distances between them.
Also, the USPS has been raising postal rates twice a year. This has really hurt the Roundup in the last few years, as our cost for mailing the paper has gone through the roof.
We owe our thanks to our Congressional delegation for their response and leadership on this issue. Here in Wyoming, I get the feeling the USPS wants to do away with all print newspapers, and raising rates while delaying the mail is the way to do it.
In response to a group of senators, the Postmaster General has agreed to a pause the plan until next year and get an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission on these proposed changes.
Hopefully, the USPS will have a change of direction, but if not, I know our Congressional delegation will be on top working for us.
Most people don’t realize how busy our Congressional delegation is in their leadership roles. Most of our state issues start as national issues, and I’m very proud of the leadership roles they fill. I also thank them for coming back to Wyoming most every weekend and visiting the communities to get feedback.
Take time to thank them as you realize why other states are envious of our delegation.
Dennis Sun is the publisher of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, a weekly agriculture newspaper available in print and online.
