HR2807-119

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Postal Service Transparency and Review Act.

2. Oversight of proposed significant changes to postal services Section 3661 of title 39, United States Code, is amended— by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following: 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. 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. 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). 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). 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. by adding after subsection (c) the following: 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— 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 the term submission or publication date means the date such opinion was so issued. (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 (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..