U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill was back on the campaign trail last week, making stops in De Soto, Potosi, and Cuba to discuss her efforts to save more than 100 of Missouri’s rural post offices from permanent closure.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) speaks to constituents at Frisco's Grill.

Meeting with constituents at Frisco’s Bar & Grill in the afternoon, she talked about post offices being a critical lifeline for Missouri’s rural communities and complained of her opponent’s refusal to act on legislation that would keep post office doors open.

“I believe in our rural post offices,” said McCaskill, a Democrat running for reelection to the Senate in November. “They’re important for our small communities. The mail service is something that we all rely on every day, but especially in small towns and rural communities like here in Cuba and all across Crawford County. I have fought to save your post offices and I will continue to fight for that because I believe it is important.”

“When Missouri’s rural post offices were on the chopping block, Claire fought to keep their doors open, but (Republican opponent) Todd Akin’s refusal to take action on behalf of the Postal Service would cut off rural Missourians from their life-saving medications and veterans benefits,” said Erik Dorey, McCaskill for Missouri spokesman. “Whether it’s a small town business' reliable shipping location or the deliverer of our seniors’ prescription drugs, Medicare and Social Security benefits, Todd Akin’s only solution is to shut down or privatize all government programs, and his agenda would hit Missouri’s rural families especially hard.”

During her talk, McCaskill stated that earlier this year, she was able to successfully attach an amendment to the 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012 that imposed a one-year moratorium on closing rural post offices. This amendment saved jobs and made sure Missouri’s rural communities did not lose the crucial services provided to them by the postal service. Beyond the one-year moratorium, the McCaskill Amendment put in place strict guidelines for closing post offices that the Postal Service must abide by going forward to ensure that they are properly serving rural communities.  

The senator also remarked that keeping post offices open helps save precious jobs in rural communities that have been hit hard by the challenging economic climate. Small business owners who rely on timely delivery to properly run their business were assured that the stability they rely on from the Postal Service will remain intact as long as McCaskill serves in the Senate.

Following her discussion of rural post offices, McCaskill fielded several questions from the floor on topics varying from nuclear energy to Akin’s controversial comments on abortion. She also talked extensively about her mother, who is featured in campaign commercials but is in ailing physical health.