Bill Summary
The "Postal Service Transparency and Review Act" aims to enhance oversight of significant changes to postal services in the United States. Key provisions include:
1. **Mandatory Review Process**: The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) must submit proposals for any major changes affecting nationwide or substantial postal service to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) at least 180 days before implementation.
2. **Advisory Opinion Requirement**: The PRC is required to issue an advisory opinion on the proposed changes within 180 days of receiving the proposal. USPS cannot take any action or spend funds on the proposed changes until this opinion is issued.
3. **Suspension of Changes**: If the PRC finds that USPS did not seek the necessary advisory opinion, it can suspend the implementation of the proposed changes until USPS complies with the requirement.
4. **Legislative Oversight**: The act establishes a framework for Congress to disapprove proposals from USPS through a joint resolution within a specified time frame after the advisory opinion is issued.
Overall, this legislation seeks to ensure greater transparency and accountability in the decision-making process related to changes in postal services, protecting service levels and allowing for legislative scrutiny.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Postal Service Transparency and Review Act" could affect people:
1. **Enhanced Public Input and Transparency**: The legislation requires the Postal Service to submit proposals for significant changes to postal services to the Postal Regulatory Commission for an advisory opinion at least 180 days before implementation. This would allow members of the public, businesses, and other stakeholders to be informed about potential changes and provide input or feedback, ensuring that decisions affecting postal services are made transparently and consider the needs of the community.
2. **Protection Against Sudden Service Changes**: By mandating that no changes can be implemented without prior approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission, the legislation protects consumers from sudden or unexpected alterations to postal services, such as service reductions or rate increases. This stability can be particularly important for individuals and businesses that rely on consistent postal services for communication, shipping, and other essential functions.
3. **Regulatory Oversight and Accountability**: The act strengthens oversight of the Postal Service by allowing the Postal Regulatory Commission to suspend the implementation of changes if the Postal Service fails to comply with the advisory opinion requirement. This added layer of accountability ensures that the Postal Service operates within the framework established by Congress and that any changes proposed are thoroughly vetted before being enacted, ultimately benefiting consumers by maintaining service quality and reliability.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2807 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2807
To amend title 39, United States Code, to provide for increased
oversight over significant proposed changes to postal services, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Clyde (for himself, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. McCormick, Mr.
Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. Allen, Mr. Loudermilk, and Mr. Jack)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on
Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 39, United States Code, to provide for increased
oversight over significant proposed changes to postal services, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Postal Service Transparency and
Review Act''.
SEC. 2. OVERSIGHT OF PROPOSED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO POSTAL SERVICES.
Section 3661 of title 39, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b)(1) Prior to implementing any change in the nature of postal
services which will generally affect service on a nationwide or
substantially nationwide basis, or which will significantly affect
service within a postal district, not later than the date that is 180
days before the proposed effective date of such change the Postal
Service shall submit a proposal for such change to the Postal
Regulatory Commission requesting an advisory opinion on the change.
``(2)(A) Not later than 180 days after the date the Commission
receives such a proposal from the Postal Service under paragraph (1),
the Commission shall issue an advisory opinion on the proposal.
``(B) The Postal Service may not take any action, or obligate or
expend any funds, to implement, administer, or otherwise carry out the
applicable proposed change at anytime before the date the Commission
issues an advisory opinion under this paragraph, consistent with
paragraph (3).
``(3)(A) The Commission may issue a ruling to suspend
implementation of any such change if the Commission determines that the
Postal Service failed to seek an advisory opinion required under
paragraph (1).
``(B) On and after the date of such ruling, no funds may be
obligated or expended by the Postal Service to implement, administer,
or otherwise carry out such change until the Postal Service seeks an
advisory opinion under such paragraph, and mail service levels shall be
returned to and maintained at the service level in effect prior to the
applicable change in the nature of postal service that occurred.''; and
(2) by adding after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Chapter 8 of title 5 shall apply to proposals submitted by
the Postal Service under subsection (b)(1) to the Postal Regulatory
Commission, except that in applying such chapter to such a proposal--
``(1) the term `joint resolution' means only a joint
resolution introduced in the period beginning on the date the
Commission issued an advisory opinion under subsection (b)(1)
with respect to such proposal was so submitted and ending 60
legislative days thereafter, the matter after the resolving
clause of which is as follows: `That Congress disapproves the
proposal submitted by the United States Postal Service relating
to ____, and such change shall have no force or effect.' (The
blank space being appropriately filled in); and
``(2) the term `submission or publication date' means the
date such opinion was so issued.''.
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