By Peter Urban
Stephens Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Nearly four months have passed since Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor asked U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe what he thought was a simple question.

U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor

Just how many postal facilities — targeted for closure — has the Postal Service kept open after hearing from the public?

Pryor posed that question to Donahoe at a May hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

“I’ll have to get back to you. I’d be more than happy to do that,” Donahoe responded.

Pryor, who is still waiting for the answer, joined five other committee members today in a letter to Donahue complaining that he has not responded to their concerns.

“We are tasked with representing our constituents and asking questions on their behalf. Since there are 600 facilities being considered for closure or consolidation in our six states alone, this is an issue of extreme importance in communities we represent,” they wrote.

The senators said that they understand the tough decisions facing the financially strapped Postal Service but believe the public should be kept informed and involved in the process.

“The lack of response leads many of our constituents to question if their views and concerns are truly taken into account during this process. The public comment process should provide more than the opportunity for input; it must lead to a full and fair consideration, with the real potential that positive outcomes can arise from the process. Anything less would confirm our constituents concerns,” they wrote.

Joining Pryor on the letter were; Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Sue Collins, R-Maine, Mark Begich, D-Alaska, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan.