Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 316 / Introduced in Senate
II
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 316
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED
STATES
February 13, 2013
Mr. Sanders (for
himself, Mr. Leahy,
Mrs. Gillibrand,
Mr. Franken, Mr. Wyden, Mr.
Merkley, Mr. Udall of New
Mexico, and Mr. Brown)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To recalculate and restore retirement
annuity obligations of the United States Postal Service, to eliminate the
requirement that the United States Postal Service pre-fund the Postal Service
Retiree Health Benefits Fund, to place restrictions on the closure of postal
facilities, to create incentives for innovation for the United States Postal
Service, to maintain levels of postal service, and for other
purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Postal Service Protection Act of
2013.
I
Retirement annuity obligation recalculation
and restoration
101.
Modified methodology
(a)
In general
Section 8348(h) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(4)
(A) To the extent that a determination under
paragraph (1), relating to benefits attributable to civilian employment with
the United States Postal Service, is based on a provision of law described in
subparagraph (C), the determination shall be made in accordance with that
provision and any otherwise applicable provisions of law, subject to the
following:
(i) The average pay used in the
case of any individual shall be a single amount, determined in accordance with
section 8331(4), taking into account the rates of basic pay in effect for the
individual during the periods of creditable service performed by the
individual. Nothing in this subsection shall be considered to permit or
require—
(I) 1 determination of average pay with respect
to service performed with the United States Postal Service; and
(II) a separate determination of average pay
with respect to service performed with its predecessor entity in
function.
(ii) In determining the portion of an annuity
attributable to civilian employment with the United States Postal Service, with
respect to any period of employment with the United States Postal Service that
follows any other period of employment creditable under section 8332 (without
regard to whether the employment was with an entity referred to in clause
(i)(II)), the total service of an employee for purposes of any provision of law
described in subparagraph (C) shall be the sum of—
(I) any period of employment with the United
States Postal Service; and
(II) any period of employment creditable under
section 8332 that precedes the period described in subclause (I).
(B)
(i) Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this paragraph, the Office shall determine (or, if applicable,
redetermine) the amount of the Postal surplus or supplemental liability as of
the close of the fiscal year most recently ending before that date of
enactment, in conformance with the methodology required under subparagraph
(A).
(ii)
(I) If the result of the determination or
redetermination under clause (i) is a surplus, the Office may transfer the
amount of the surplus, or any portion of the amount of the surplus, at the
request of the United States Postal Service, to—
(aa) the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits
Fund established under section 8909a; and
(bb) the Postal Service Fund established under
section 2003 of title 39.
(II) If a determination or redetermination under
clause (i) for a fiscal year is made before a determination under paragraph
(2)(B) is made with respect to the fiscal year, the Office may not make a
determination under paragraph (2)(B) with respect to the fiscal year.
(C) The provisions of law described in this
subparagraph are—
(i) the first sentence of section 8339(a);
and
(ii) section
8339(d)(1).
.
(b)
Coordination provisions
(1)
Determination of amount
payable
Section 8909a of
title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
the Office shall determine the amount payable by the Postal Service under
subsection (d) in any fiscal year ending on or before September 30, 2013,
without regard to the requirements under section
8348(h)(4).
.
(2)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this Act shall affect the amount
of any benefits otherwise payable from the Civil Service Retirement and
Disability Fund to any individual.
(c)
Technical and conforming
amendment
The heading for
section 8909a of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking
Benefit and inserting
Benefits.
102.
Relating to a postal surplus
Section 8348(h)(2)(C) of title 5, United
States Code, is amended—
(1) by inserting 2021, after
2015,; and
(2) by striking if the result is
and all that follows through terminated. and inserting the
following:
if the result is a
surplus—
(i) that amount, or any portion of that amount,
may be transferred at the request of the United States Postal Service
to—
(I) the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits
Fund; and
(II) the Postal Service Fund established under
section 2003 of title 39; and
(ii) any prior amortization schedule for
payments shall be
terminated.
.
103.
Treatment of certain surplus retirement
contributions
Section 8423(b)
of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph
(6); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the
following:
(5) If, for fiscal year 2013, the amount
computed under paragraph (1)(B) is less than zero (in this section referred to
as surplus postal contributions), the amount of the surplus postal
contributions, or any portion of the amount, may be transferred at the request
of the United States Postal Service to—
(A) the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits
Fund established under section 8909a;
(B) the Postal Service Fund established under
section 2003 of title 39;
(C) the Employees’ Compensation Fund
established under section 8147; and
(D) the United States Postal Service for the
repayment of any obligation issued under section 2005 of title
39.
.
104.
Elimination of requirement to pre-fund the
Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund
(a)
In general
Section 8909a of title 5, United States
Code, as amended by this Act, is amended—
(1) in subsection (d)—
(A) by striking paragraph (3); and
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6)
as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed
to require the Postal Service to pay any amount into the Postal Service Retiree
Health Benefits Fund established under section
8909a.
.
(b)
Technical and conforming
amendment
Section
803(b)(1)(A) of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (5 U.S.C. 8909a
note) is amended by striking 8909a(d)(5) and inserting
8909a(d)(4).
105.
Effective date; rule of
construction
(a)
In general
This title and the amendments made by this
title shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act.
(b)
Intent of Congress
It is the intent of Congress that this
title apply with respect to the allocation of past, present, and future benefit
liabilities between the United States Postal Service and the Treasury of the
United States.
(c)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made
by this Act shall be construed to prohibit the Postal Service from paying any
amount of surplus contributions to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability
Fund and the Federal Employees’ Retirement System into—
(1) the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits
Fund established under section 8909a of title 5, United States Code; and
(2) the Postal Service Fund established under
section 2003 of title 39, United States Code.
II
Restrictions on postal facility
closures
201.
Modified procedures
(a)
In general
Section 404(d) of title 39, United States
Code, is amended by striking (d)(1) and all that follows through
paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
(d)
(1) Before making a determination under
subsection (a)(3) to close or consolidate a postal facility, the Postal Service
shall—
(A) conduct an investigation to assess the need
for the proposed closure or consolidation; and
(B) ensure that each person served by the
postal facility has an opportunity to present views by providing appropriate
notice—
(i) to each person by mail; and
(ii) by publication in a newspaper of general
circulation in the area in which each person resides.
(2) In conducting an investigation under
paragraph (1)(A) and determining whether to close or consolidate a postal
facility under subsection (a)(3), the Postal Service—
(A) shall consider—
(i) the effect the closing or consolidation
would have on the community served by the postal facility;
(ii) the effect the closing or consolidation
would have on employees of the Postal Service employed at the postal facility;
and
(iii) whether the closing or consolidation would
be consistent with the policy of the Government under section 101(b), that the
Postal Service shall provide a maximum degree of effective and regular postal
services to rural areas, communities, and small towns where postal facilities
are not self-sustaining; and
(B) may not consider compliance with any
provision of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 651 et
seq.).
(3)
(A) Upon completion of an investigation under
paragraph (1), the Postal Service shall make a decision, in writing, whether to
proceed with the proposal to close or consolidate a postal facility, which
shall include the findings of the Postal Service with respect to each factor
specified in paragraph (2)(A).
(B) Not later than 90 days before the Postal
Service makes a final determination under this subsection, the Postal Service
shall—
(i) post notice of the decision and findings
under subparagraph (A) in a prominent place in each postal facility that would
be affected by the closing or consolidation; and
(ii) send notice of each posting under clause
(i) by mail to each person served by the postal facility in which the notice is
posted.
(C) Notice under subparagraph (B) shall
include—
(i) a statement as follows: This is
notice of a proposal to _____ this postal facility. A final determination will
not be made before the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date on which
this notice is first posted., with the blank space being filled in with
close or consolidate (whichever is appropriate),
and with instructions for how any interested person may submit comments;
(ii) a
brief summary of the findings of the Postal Service with respect to the factors
specified in paragraph (2)(A); and
(iii) the amount of cost savings the Postal
Service estimates the Postal Service will realize from the closing or
consolidation, in the first year following the date of the closing or
consolidation, together with an explanation of the assumptions and
methodologies used in making the estimate.
(4) The Postal Service shall make a final
determination to close or consolidate a postal facility in writing after taking
into consideration any comments received during the 90-day period described
under paragraph (3). The Postal Service shall take no action to close or
consolidate a postal facility before the date that is 60 days after the date on
which the Postal Service—
(A) posts a copy of the final determination in
a prominent location in each affected postal facility; and
(B) sends to each person served by the postal
facility—
(i) a notice of the determination; and
(ii) notice of any appeal rights available with
respect to the
determination.
.
(b)
De
novo review
Section 404(d)(5)
of title 39, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking post office and
inserting postal facility; and
(2) by striking The Commission shall set
aside and all that follows through final disposition of the
appeal. and inserting the following: The Commission shall review
de novo the determination of the Postal Service. In conducting a review de
novo, the Commission shall consider the factors described in paragraph (2)(A).
If the Commission finds fault with a determination of the Postal Service, the
Commission shall suspend the effectiveness of the determination of the Postal
Service..
(c)
Exception; calculation of actual cost
savings
Section 404(d) of
title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
(7)
(A) Paragraphs (1) through (6) shall not apply
in the case of a closing or consolidation which occurs by reason of an
emergency suspension, as described in section 241.3 of title 39, Code of
Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term
emergency suspension does not, in the case of a leased facility,
include the termination or cancellation of the lease by a party other than the
Postal Service.
(8)
(A) Not later than 2 years after the date of
the closing or consolidation of any postal facility occurring after the date of
enactment of this paragraph, the Inspector General shall determine the amount
of the cost savings realized by the Postal Service from the closing or
consolidation for the first year following the closing or consolidation.
(B) The Inspector General shall submit to the
Postmaster General and to Congress—
(i) a
report for each postal facility for which the Inspector made a determination of
cost savings under subparagraph (A) during the preceding year that
includes—
(I) the amount of the cost savings determined
to be realized with respect to each closing or consolidation of a postal
facility, together with an explanation of the assumptions and methodologies
used in making the determination;
(II) a comparison of—
(aa) the cost savings determined by the
Inspector General; and
(bb) the estimates provided by the Postal
Service under paragraph (3)(C)(iii); and
(III) an explanation of the reasons for any
differences between the determination of the Inspector General and the
estimates of the Postal Service, together with recommendations for any
legislation or administrative action that the Inspector General considers
appropriate to provide for more accurate estimates; and
(ii) an annual report with respect to all the
postal facilities for which the Inspector made a determination of cost savings
under subparagraph (A) that includes the information required under clause
(i).
.
202.
Definitions
Section 404(d) of title 39, United States
Code, as amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
(9) In this subsection—
(A) the term postal facility
includes an office, branch, station, or other facility which—
(i) is operated by the Postal Service;
and
(ii) provides services to persons described in
subparagraph (B); and
(B) any reference to the persons served by a
postal facility shall include a postal customer receiving mail delivery service
from the postal facility, a resident of a ZIP code served by the postal
facility, a postal customer having a post office box at the postal facility,
and any relevant local government official as defined by the Postal Service by
rule.
.
III
Incentives for innovation
301.
Authority to offer nonpostal services and
products
(a)
Specific
power
Section 404(a) of title
39, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (7), by striking
and at the end;
(2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period
and inserting ; and; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
(9) to provide nonpostal services and products
in accordance with subsection
(e).
.
(b)
Nonpostal services and
products
Section 404(e) is
amended to read as follows:
(e)
(1) The Postal Service may provide any
nonpostal service or product in a manner consistent with the public
interest.
(2) Not later than 90 days before providing a
nonpostal service or product that the Postal Service did not provide before the
date of enactment of this subsection, the Postal Service shall request an
advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission that evaluates the
extent to which the provision of that nonpostal service or product—
(A) would use the processing, transportation,
delivery, retail network, technology, or other resources of the Postal Service;
and
(B) would be consistent with the public
interest.
(3) Not later than 45 days after the date on
which the Postal Regulatory Commission receives a request under paragraph (2),
the Postal Regulatory Commission shall—
(A) issue an advisory opinion to the Postal
Service concerning the request; and
(B) transmit a copy of the advisory opinion,
together with the original request, to—
(i) the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives; and
(ii) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
(4) In this title, the term nonpostal
service or product means any service or product other than a postal
service, including—
(A) check-cashing services;
(B) technology and media services;
(C) warehousing and logistics;
(D) facility leasing;
(E) public Internet access services;
(F) driver licensing;
(G) vehicle registration;
(H) hunting and fishing licensing;
(I) notary services; and
(J) voter registration.
(5) The Postal Service may enter into a
contract with a State or local agency to provide a nonpostal service or product
authorized under this
subsection.
.
302.
Wine and beer shipping
(a)
Mailability
(1)
Nonmailable articles
Section 1716(f) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended by striking mails and inserting mails,
except to the extent that the mailing is allowable under section 3001(p) of
title 39.
(2)
Intoxicants
Section 1154(a) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended, by inserting or, with respect to the mailing of wine
or malt beverages, to the extent allowed under section 3001(p) of title
39 after mechanical purposes.
(b)
Regulations
Section 3001 of title 39, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(p)
(1) Wine or malt beverages shall be considered
mailable if mailed—
(A) by
a licensed winery or brewery, in accordance with applicable regulations under
paragraph (2); and
(B) in
accordance with the law of the State, territory, or district of the United
States where the addressee or duly authorized agent takes delivery.
(2) The Postal Service shall prescribe such
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this subsection, including
regulations providing that—
(A) the mailing shall be by a means established
by the Postal Service to ensure direct delivery to the addressee or a duly
authorized agent at a postal facility;
(B) the addressee (and any duly authorized
agent) shall be an individual at least 21 years of age, and shall present a
valid, government-issued photo identification at the time of delivery;
(C) the wine or malt beverages may not be for
resale or other commercial purpose; and
(D) the winery or brewery involved
shall—
(i) certify in writing to the satisfaction of
the Postal Service, through a registration process administered by the Postal
Service, that the mailing is not in violation of any provision of this
subsection or regulation prescribed under this subsection; and
(ii) provide any other information or
affirmation that the Postal Service may require, including with respect to the
prepayment of State alcohol beverage taxes.
(3) For purposes of this subsection—
(A) a
winery shall be considered to be licensed if that winery holds an appropriate
basic permit issued—
(i) under the Federal Alcohol Administration
Act (27 U.S.C. 201 et seq.); and
(ii) under the law of the State in which the
winery is located; and
(B) a
brewery shall be considered to be licensed if that brewery—
(i) possesses a notice of registration and bond
approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the Department of
the Treasury; and
(ii) is licensed to manufacture and sell beer in
the State in which the brewery is
located.
.
(c)
Effective
date
The amendments made by
this section shall take effect on the earlier of—
(1) the date on which the Postal Service issues
regulations under section 3001(p) of title 39, United States Code, as amended
by this section; or
(2) 120 days after the date of enactment of
this Act.
303.
Innovation and accountability
(a)
In general
Chapter 2 of title 39, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
209.
Innovation and accountability
(a)
Chief innovation officer
There shall be in the Postal Service a
Chief Innovation Officer appointed by the Postmaster General who shall have
proven expertise and a record of success in—
(1) the postal and shipping industry;
(2) innovative product research and
development;
(3) marketing brand strategy;
(4) emerging communications technology;
or
(5) business process management.
(b)
Duties
The Chief Innovation Officer shall—
(1) lead the development of innovative
nonpostal products and services that maximize the revenue of the Postal
Service;
(2) develop innovative postal products and
services, particularly products and services that use emerging information
technologies, to maximize the revenue of the Postal Service;
(3) supervise the implementation of products
and services described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
(4) monitor the performance of products and
services described in paragraphs (1) and (2) and modify the products and
services as needed to address changing market trends.
(c)
Considerations
The Chief Innovation Office shall take into
consideration comments or advisory opinions, if applicable, issued by the
Postal Regulatory Committee before the initial sale of innovative postal or
nonpostal products and services.
(d)
Designation
(1)
Deadline
As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this section, and not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Postmaster General shall appoint a Chief
Innovation Officer.
(2)
Condition
The Chief Innovation Officer may not, while
serving as Chief Innovation Officer, hold any other office or position in the
Postal Service.
(3)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed
to prohibit an individual who holds another office or position in the Postal
Service at the time the individual is appointed Chief Innovation Officer from
serving as the Chief Innovation Officer under this section.
(e)
Advisory commission
(1)
Establishment
There is established the Postal Innovation
Advisory Commission (hereinafter the Commission).
(2)
Membership
(A)
In general
The Commission shall be composed of—
(i) the Chief Innovation Officer established
under subsection (a), who shall serve as Chairperson of the Commission;
and
(ii) 5 other members as the Postal Regulatory
Commission shall appoint, of whom—
(I) 1 member shall have expertise in
labor;
(II) 1 member shall have expertise in small
business issues;
(III) 1 member shall have expertise in consumer
protection;
(IV) 1 member shall have expertise in small
periodicals and newspapers; and
(V) 1 member shall have expertise in the postal
industry.
(B)
Period of appointment
Members shall be appointed for 5-year
terms.
(C)
Vacancies
Any vacancy in the Commission shall not
affect the powers of the Commission, but shall be filled in the same manner as
the original appointment.
(D)
Meetings
The Commission shall meet at the call of
the Chairperson.
(E)
Quorum
A majority of the members of the Commission
shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold
hearings.
(3)
Duties of the commission
(A)
Study
The Commission shall study—
(i) additional postal and nonpostal services
that the Postal Service may offer to raise revenue; and
(ii) services that postal services in foreign
countries have offered to respond to the increasing demand for high-tech
services, including—
(I) banking and insurance services;
(II) communication services;
(III) physical delivery of e-mail correspondence
to individuals who do not have Internet access;
(IV) scanning physical mail and delivering that
mail through e-mail; and
(V) communication through secure
servers.
(B)
Recommendations
The Commission shall generate
recommendations for additional services that the Postal Service should provide
based on the study conducted under subparagraph (A).
(C)
Report
Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, and each year thereafter, the Commission shall
submit to the Postmaster General a report that contains each recommendation
described under subparagraph (B) that the Commission approves by a majority
vote.
(4)
Powers of the commission
(A)
Hearings
The Commission may hold such hearings, take
such testimony, and receive such evidence as is necessary to carry out this
subsection.
(B)
Information from federal
agencies
The Commission may
secure directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the
Commission considers necessary to carry out this subsection. Upon request of
the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall
furnish such information to the Commission.
(C)
Postal services
The Commission may use the United States
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and
agencies of the Federal Government.
(D)
Gifts
The Commission may accept, use, and dispose
of gifts or donations of services or property.
(5)
Commission personnel matters
(A)
Compensation of members
Each member of the Commission who is not an
officer or employee of the Federal Government (including the Postal Service)
shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate
of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section
5315 of title 5 for each day (including travel time) during which such member
is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Commission. All members of
the Commission who are officers or employees of the United States, including
the Postal Service, shall serve without compensation in addition to that
received for their services as officers or employees of the United
States.
(B)
Travel expenses
The members of the Commission shall be
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title
5 while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance
of services for the Commission.
(C)
Staff
(i)
In general
The Chairperson of the Commission may,
without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate
an executive director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary
to enable the Commission to perform its duties. The employment of an executive
director shall be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
(ii)
Compensation
The Chairperson of the Commission may fix
the compensation of the executive director and other personnel without regard
to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5 relating to
classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the
rate of pay for the executive director and other personnel may not exceed the
rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title
5.
(D)
Detail of government
employees
Any Federal
Government employee, including an employee of the Postal Service, may be
detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and such detail shall be
without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
(E)
Procurement of temporary and intermittent
services
The Chairperson of
the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section
3109(b) of title 5 at rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5.
(6)
Permanent advisory commission
Section 14 of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Commission.
(7)
Authorization of appropriations
(A)
In general
There are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary to the Commission to carry out this Act.
(B)
Availability
Any sums appropriated under the
authorization contained in this section shall remain available, without fiscal
year limitation, until expended.
(f)
Innovation strategy
(1)
In general
Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Postmaster General shall submit, at the same
time the President submits the annual budget request under section 1105 of
title 31 for that year, and together with the report on performance under
subsection (g), a comprehensive strategy for maximizing the revenue of the
Postal Service through innovative postal and nonpostal products and services
to—
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives; and
(C) the Postal Regulatory Commission.
(2)
Matters to be addressed
At a minimum, the strategy required by this
subsection shall address—
(A) the specific innovative postal and
nonpostal products and services to be developed and offered by the Postal
Service, including the nature of the market demand to be satisfied by each
product and service and the estimated date by which each product and service
will be introduced;
(B) the cost of developing and offering each
product or service;
(C) the anticipated sales volume for each
product and service;
(D) the anticipated revenues and profits
expected to be generated by each product and service;
(E) the likelihood of success of each product
and service and the risks associated with the development and sale of each
product and service;
(F) the trends anticipated in market conditions
that may affect the success of each product and service during the 5-year
period following the submission of the report; and
(G) the metrics that will be used to assess the
effectiveness of the innovation strategy.
(3)
Strategy updates
The Postmaster General shall—
(A) update the strategy required under this
subsection every 2 years; and
(B) submit the updated strategy, at the same
time the President submits the annual budget request under section 1105 of
title 31 for that year, and together with the report on performance under
subsection (g), to—
(i) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(ii) the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives; and
(iii) the Postal Regulatory Commission.
(g)
Report on performance
(1)
In general
The Postmaster General shall submit an
annual report that describes the progress of the Postal Service in implementing
the strategy under this section, at the same time the President submits the
annual budget request under section 1105 of title 31, to—
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives; and
(C) the Postal Regulatory Commission.
(2)
Matters to be addressed
At a minimum, a report under this
subsection shall include—
(A) the revenue generated by each product and
service developed through the strategy under this section and the costs of
developing and offering each product or service for the preceding year;
(B) the total sales volume and revenue
generated by each product and service on a monthly basis for the preceding
year;
(C) trends in each market in which a product or
service is intended to satisfy a demand;
(D) products and services identified in the
strategy under this section that are to be discontinued, the date on which the
discontinuance will occur, and the reasons for the discontinuance;
(E) alterations in products and services
identified in the strategy under this section that will be made to address
changing market conditions, and an explanation of how the alterations will
ensure the success of the products and services; and
(F) the performance of the strategy under this
section according to the metrics identified under subsection (e)(2)(G).
(h)
Study and report by Comptroller
General
(1)
Study
(A)
In general
The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study on the implementation of the strategy under this
section that assesses the effectiveness of the Postal Service in identifying,
developing, and selling innovative postal and nonpostal products and
services.
(B)
Contents
The study under subparagraph (A) shall
include—
(i) an audit of the costs of developing each
innovative postal and nonpostal product and service developed or offered by the
Postal Service;
(ii) the sales volume of each product and
service;
(iii) the revenues and profits generated by each
product and service; and
(iv) the likelihood of continued success of each
product and service.
(2)
Report
Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit a report
concerning the study under paragraph (1) to—
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of
Representatives.
.
(b)
Technical and conforming
amendment
The table of
sections for chapter 2 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
209. Innovation and
accountability.
.
IV
Maintaining levels of service
401.
Six-day delivery
Section 404a(a) of title 39, United States
Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking
or at the end;
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period
and inserting ; or; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
(4) reduce the frequency of the delivery of
mail to fewer than 6 days each
week.
.
402.
Service standards for market-dominant
products
Section 3691 of title
39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(e)
Restriction on authority
Notwithstanding subsections (a), (b), and
(c), the Postal Service may not increase the expected delivery time for
market-dominant products required under part 121 of title 39, Code of Federal
Regulations, as in effect on March 2,
2010.
.