I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2249

To amend chapter 10 of title 39, United States Code, to include postmasters 

and postmasters’ organizations in the process for the development and 

planning of certain personnel policies, schedules, and programs of the 

United States Postal Service, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2003

Mr. MCHUGH (for himself, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, 

Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. TERRY, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. 

LARSEN of Washington, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mrs. MALONEY, Mrs. MILLER

of Michigan, Mr. JANKLOW, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. SCHROCK, Mr. OWENS, 

and Mr. CLAY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Government Reform 

A BILL

To amend chapter 10 of title 39, United States Code, to 

include postmasters and postmasters’ organizations in 

the process for the development and planning of certain 

personnel policies, schedules, and programs of the United 

States Postal Service, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Postmasters Equity 

5 Act of 2003’’. 
2

•HR 2249 IH 

1 SEC. 2. POSTMASTERS AND POSTMASTERS’ ORGANIZA2 TIONS. 

3 (a) PERCENTAGE REPRESENTATION REQUIRE4 MENT.—The second sentence of section 1004(b) of title 

5 39, United States Code, is amended—

6 (1) by inserting ‘‘that an organization (other 

7 than an organization representing supervisors) rep8 resents at least 20 percent of postmasters,’’ after 

9 ‘‘majority of supervisors,’’; and 

10 (2) by striking ‘‘supervisors)’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘supervisors or postmasters)’’. 

12 (b) CONSULTATION AND OTHER RIGHTS.—Section 

13 1004 of title 39, United States Code, is amended—

14 (1) by redesignating subsection (h) as sub15 section (i); and 

16 (2) by inserting after subsection (g) the fol17 lowing: 

18 ‘‘(h)(1) In order to ensure that postmasters and post19 masters’ organizations are afforded the same rights under 

20 this section as are afforded to supervisors and the super21 visors’ organization, subsections (c) through (g) shall be 

22 applied with respect to postmasters and postmasters’ or23 ganizations—

24 ‘‘(A) by substituting ‘postmasters’ organization’ 

25 for ‘supervisors’ organization’ each place it appears; 

26 and 
3

•HR 2249 IH 

1 ‘‘(B) if 2 or more postmasters’ organizations 

2 exist, by treating such organizations as if they con3 stituted a single organization, in accordance with 

4 such arrangements as such organizations shall mu5 tually agree to. 

6 ‘‘(2) If 2 or more postmasters’ organizations exist, 

7 such organizations shall, in the case of any factfinding 

8 panel convened at the request of such organizations (in 

9 accordance with paragraph (1)(B)), be jointly and sever10 ally liable for the cost of such panel, apart from the por11 tion to be borne by the Postal Service (as determined 

12 under subsection (f)(4)).’’. 

13 (c) DEFINITIONS.—Subsection (i) of section 1004 of 

14 title 39, United States Code (as so redesignated by sub15 section (b)(1)) is amended—

16 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 

17 the semicolon; 

18 (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and 

19 inserting a semicolon; and 

20 (3) by adding after paragraph (2) the following: 

21 ‘‘(3) ‘postmaster’ means an individual who is 

22 the manager in charge of the operations of a post 

23 office, with or without the assistance of subordinate 

24 managers or supervisors; 
4

•HR 2249 IH 

1 ‘‘(4) ‘postmasters’ organization’ means an orga2 nization recognized by the Postal Service under sub3 section (b) as representing at least 20 percent of 

4 postmasters; and 

5 ‘‘(5) ‘members of the postmasters’ organization’ 

6 shall be considered to mean employees of the Postal 

7 Service who are recognized under an agreement—

8 ‘‘(A) between the Postal Service and the 

9 postmasters’ organization as represented by the 

10 organization; or 

11 ‘‘(B) in the circumstance described in sub12 section (h)(1)(B), between the Postal Service 

13 and the postmasters’ organizations (acting in 

14 concert) as represented by either or any of the 

15 postmasters’ organizations involved.’’. 

16 (d) THRIFT ADVISORY COUNCIL NOT TO BE AF17 FECTED.—For purposes of section 8473(b)(4) of title 5, 

18 United States Code—

19 (1) each of the 2 or more organizations referred 

20 to in section 1004(h)(1)(B) of title 39, United 

21 States Code (as amended by subsection (b)) shall be 

22 treated as a separate organization; and 

23 (2) any determination of the number of individ24 uals represented by each of those respective organi-
5

•HR 2249 IH 

1 zations shall be made in a manner consistent with 

2 the purposes of this subsection. 

3 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

4 The amendments made by this section shall take ef5 fect 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Æ