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US Senate Committee on Governmental AffairscF' 

October 8,2002 

Statement of Ruth Y. Goldway, US Postal Rate Commission Nominee 

Senator Akaka and honorable members of the Committee: 

Thank you for inviting me to appear before you this morning. I respect and appreciate the 

careful consideration you have given to postal issues during the four and one-half years I 

have served on the Postal Rate Commission. And thank you Senator Clinton for 

introducing me today. Thank you for your many, many kindnesses to me and my family 

over the years and thank you for encouraging my appointment to the PRC in 1998. As 

First Lady and as Senator, you have maintained a strong and consistent interest in postal 

matters. Senator Clinton was instrumental in developing the first semi postal stamp to 

raise funds for breast cancer research and she worked with all of the members of this 

committee and other senators in developing the innovative 45 cent semi-postal stamp that 

raises funds for the heroes of 9/11. She and I both hope that the restoration of Penn 

Station can move forward promptly in partnership with the Postal Service. 

I am both honored and humbled to appear before this committee with so many of my 

friends in attendance cheering me on. In particular, I'm proud to introduce my husband, 

Ambassador Derek Shearer, who has been my partner and best friend in all of my life's 

endeavors and the guiding force in all my public service and my career. 

At my first appearance before this committee as a Postal Rate Commission neophyte, 

Senator Levin kindly granted me the benefit of the doubt regarding my competence 

because I had had the good sense to attend the University of Michigan. 

And now, I am here again. I come before the committee today with a record of 

accomplishments and attention to issues that I believe demonstrate my competence and 

commitment to the work of the Postal Rate Commission. I ask for your support for my 

confirmation. 

Consistent with my longtime interest in consumer issues, I have focused attention on how 

household consumers are affected by the Postal Service with regard to the rates they pay 

and the service that they receive, such as the reliability and value of Priority Mail. I have 

also worked hard to ensure that rates for all users reflect an accurate assessment of 

attributable costs and a fair share of institutional costs. Through written opinions, op-ed 

pieces, supplemental testimony, meetings with congressional and senate staff, and public 

appearances, I have sought to bring these issues to the public and the Postal Service's 

attention. 

I am grateful for the opportunity the Senate has provided to me to serve our countty. If 

you honor me again with a second term on the PRC, I pledge to work diligently and 
creatively with each of you, your committee staff, the Postal Service, the mailing 

community and with Chairman George Ornas and my colleagues on the Commission to 

assure the health, vitality and future of the Postal Service. Together we must plan for its 

transformation into a communications network for the 21st century while continuing to 

uphold its unique responsibility to bind the nation, delivering the mail as uniformly as 

possible to every American household. 

Again thank you. I am pleased to answer your questions