I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4636
To amend chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, to modify rates
relating to reduced rate mail matter, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 12, 2000
Mr. FATTAH (for himself, Mr. HOYER, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, and Mr. OWENS)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Government Reform
A BILL
To amend chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, to
modify rates relating to reduced rate mail matter, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nonprofit Relief Act
of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. SPECIAL RATEMAKING PROVISIONS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF REGULAR RATES FOR MAIL
CLASSES WITH CERTAIN PREFERRED SUBCLASSES.—
Section 3622 of title 39, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(c) Regular rates for each class or subclass of mail
that includes 1 or more special rate categories for mail
under former section 4358 (d) or (e), 4452 (b) or (c), or
4554 (b) or (c) of this title shall be established by applying
the policies of this title, including the factors of section
3622(b) of this title, to the costs attributable to the reg-
ular rate mail in each class or subclass combined with the
mail in the corresponding special rate categories author-
ized by former section 4358 (d) or (e), 4452 (b) or (c),
or 4554 (b) or (c) of this title.’’.
(b) RESIDUAL RULE FOR PREFERRED PERIODICAL
MAIL.—Section 3626(a)(3)(A) of title 39, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(3)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (4) or
(5), rates of postage for a class of mail or kind of
mailer under former section 4358 of this title shall
be established in a manner such that the estimated
revenues to be received by the Postal Service from
such class of mail or kind of mailer shall be equal
to the sum of—
‘‘(i) the estimated costs attributable to
such class of mail or kind of mailer; and
‘‘(ii) the product derived by multiplying the
estimated costs referred to in clause (i) by the
applicable 
percentage 
under 
subparagraph
(B).’’.
(c) SPECIAL RULE FOR NONPROFIT AND CLASSROOM
PERIODICALS.—Section 3626(a)(4) of title 39, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(4)(A) Except as specified in subparagraph
(B), rates of postage for a class of mail or kind of
mailer under former section 4358 (d) or (e) of this
title shall be established so that postage on each
mailing of such mail shall be as nearly as practicable
5 percent lower than the postage for a corresponding
regular-rate category mailing.
‘‘(B) With respect to the postage for the adver-
tising pound portion of any mail matter under
former section 4358 (d) or (e) of this title, the 5-
percent discount specified in subparagraph (A) shall
not apply if the advertising portion exceeds 10 per-
cent of the publication involved.’’.
(d) SPECIAL RULE FOR NONPROFIT STANDARD (A)
MAIL.—Section 3626(a) of title 39, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(6) The rates for mail matter under former
sections 4452 (b) and (c) of this title shall be estab-
lished as follows:
‘‘(A) The estimated average revenue per
piece to be received by the Postal Service from
each subclass of mail under former sections
4452 (b) and (c) of this title shall be equal, as
nearly as practicable, to 60 percent of the esti-
mated average revenue per piece to be received
from the most closely corresponding regular-
rate subclass of mail.
‘‘(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A),
the estimated average revenue per piece of each
regular-rate subclass shall be calculated on the
basis of expected volumes and mix of mail for
such subclass at current rates in the test year
of the proceeding.
‘‘(C) Rate differentials within each sub-
class of mail matter under former sections 4452
(b) and (c) shall reflect the policies of this title,
including the factors set forth in section
3622(b) of this title.’’.
(e) SPECIAL RULE FOR LIBRARY AND EDUCATIONAL
MATTER.—Section 3626(a) of title 39, United States
Code, as amended by subsection (d) of this section, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(7) The rates for mail matter under former
sections 4554 (b) and (c) of this title shall be estab-
lished so that postage on each mailing of such mail
shall be as nearly as practicable 5 percent lower
than the postage for a corresponding regular-rate
mailing.’’.
SEC. 3. TRANSITIONAL AND TECHNICAL PROVISIONS.
(a) TRANSITIONAL
PROVISION
FOR
NONPROFIT
STANDARD (A) MAIL.—In any proceeding in which rates
are to be established under chapter 36 of title 39, United
States Code, for mail matter under former sections 4452
(b) and (c) of that title, pending as of the date of enact-
ment of section 2 of this Act, the estimated reduction in
postal revenue from such mail matter caused by the enact-
ment of section 3626(a)(6)(A) of that title, if any, shall
be treated as a reasonably assignable cost of the Postal
Service under section 3622(b)(3) of that title.
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 3626(a)(1)
of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking