WASHINGTON D.C. — In the hopes of passing a long-term solution to stabilize the U.S. Postal Service, a five-month delay for the potential closing of Montana post offices was announced on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

“Today’s announcement is a win for Montana, and credit belongs to the thousands of Montanans who raised their concerns about the importance of the postal service and the jobs it supports in rural America,” Montana U.S. Senator Jon Tester said in a press release on Tuesday. “But we have more work to do. I look forward to working on a long-term solution that keeps the Postal Service open for business and serving rural America.”

The USPS has witnessed a drop in mail volume over the last few years and thousands of employees have lost their jobs. They had planned to close 85 Montana post offices, as well as consolidate processing facilities in Missoula, Kalispell, Butte, Helena and Wolf Point, but the additional time will give Congress an opportunity to reach a more ideal solution, as community post offices are vital, especially in small towns.

“I’m glad we were able to secure more time to work together and find a real solution to the Postal Service’s financial burdens,” Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus said. “Closing rural post offices and sending Montana area mail processing facilities out of state won’t create the kind of savings necessary for a long term solution. We have a lot of work to in the next five months, and I’ll keep doing everything I can to find the best solution for Montana.”

The delay will keep Montana post offices open until at least May 15.