I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2692 
To amend title 39, United States Code, to modify the procedures governing 
the closure or consolidation of postal facilities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2011 
Mr. SIRES introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To amend title 39, United States Code, to modify the proce-
dures governing the closure or consolidation of postal 
facilities. 
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 ‘‘Access to Postal Serv-
ices Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MODIFIED PROCEDURES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 404(d) of title 39, United 
States Code, is amended by striking the matter before 
paragraph (5) and inserting the following: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:37 Jul 29, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2692.IH
H2692
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(d)(1) Before making any determination under sub-
section (a)(3) to close or consolidate a postal facility, the 
Postal Service shall conduct an investigation to assess the 
need for the proposed closure or consolidation and shall 
provide appropriate notice to the persons served by such 
postal facility to ensure that such persons will have an 
opportunity to present their views. Such notice shall be 
made to each person by mail, as well as by publication 
in newspapers of general circulation in the area within 
which such persons reside. 
‘‘(2) In deciding whether or not to close or consoli-
date a postal facility, the Postal Service— 
‘‘(A) shall consider— 
‘‘(i) the effect such closing or consolidation 
would have on the community served by such 
postal facility; 
‘‘(ii) the effect such closing or consolida-
tion would have on employees of the Postal 
Service employed at such postal facility; and 
‘‘(iii) whether such closing or consolidation 
would be consistent with the policy of the Gov-
ernment, as stated in section 101(b), that the 
Postal Service shall provide a maximum degree 
of effective and regular postal services to rural 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:37 Jul 29, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2692.IH
H2692
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
areas, communities, and small towns where post 
offices are not self-sustaining; and 
‘‘(B) may not consider compliance with any 
provision of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 
of 1970. 
‘‘(3)(A) A decision to proceed with the proposal to 
close or consolidate, following an investigation under para-
graph (1), shall be made in writing and shall include the 
findings of the Postal Service with respect to each of the 
considerations specified in paragraph (2)(A). 
‘‘(B) Notice of the decision and findings under sub-
paragraph (A) shall be posted prominently in each postal 
facility that would be affected, and notice of the posting 
shall be sent by mail to all persons served by such postal 
facility, at least 90 days before a final determination is 
made, to ensure that such persons will have an oppor-
tunity to submit comments. 
‘‘(C) Any posting under subparagraph (B) shall in-
clude— 
‘‘(i) a statement as follows: ‘This is notice of a 
proposal to lllll this postal facility. A final 
determination will not be made before the end of the 
90-day period beginning on the date on which this 
notice is first posted.’, with the blank space being 
filled in with ‘close’ or ‘consolidate’ (whichever is ap-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:37 Jul 29, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2692.IH
H2692
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
propriate), and with instructions for how any inter-
ested person may submit comments; 
‘‘(ii) a brief summary of the findings of the 
Postal Service with respect to the factors for consid-
eration specified in paragraph (2)(A); and 
‘‘(iii) the amount of cost savings the Postal 
Service estimates it will realize from the closing or 
consolidation, in the first year following the date of 
such closing or consolidation, together with an expla-
nation of the assumptions and methodologies used in 
making those estimates. 
‘‘(4) A final determination to close or consolidate a 
postal facility shall be made, in writing, after taking into 
consideration any comments received in the course of the 
90-day period referred to in paragraph (3). The Postal 
Service shall take no action to close or consolidate a postal 
facility before the end of the 60-day period beginning on 
the date as of which the Postal Service— 
‘‘(A) posts a copy of its final determination in 
a prominent location in each affected postal facility; 
and 
‘‘(B) sends to all persons served by such postal 
facility— 
‘‘(i) a notice of such determination; and 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:37 Jul 29, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2692.IH
H2692
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(ii) notice of any appeal rights available 
with respect to such determination.’’. 
(b) 
SUSPENSION
PENDING
APPEAL.—Section 
404(d)(5) of title 39, United States Code, is amended in 
the next to last sentence by striking ‘‘may suspend’’ and 
inserting ‘‘shall suspend’’. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—Section 404(d) of title 39, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(7)(A) The preceding provisions of this subsection 
shall not apply in the case of a closing or consolidation 
which occurs by reason of an emergency suspension, as 
defined under regulations of the Postal Service, subject 
to subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘emer-
gency suspension’ shall not, in the case of a leased facility, 
include the termination or cancellation of the lease by a 
party other than the Postal Service.’’. 
SEC. 3. ACTUAL COST SAVINGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the closing or consolidation of any postal facility 
occurring after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Inspector General of the United States Postal Service 
shall determine, and submit to the Postmaster General 
and each House of Congress its findings with respect to, 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:37 Jul 29, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2692.IH
H2692
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
the amount of the cost savings realized by the United 
States Postal Service from the closing or consolidation in 
the first year following such closing or consolidation. 
(b) INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED.—A submission 
under this section shall include— 
(1) the amount of the cost savings determined 
by the Inspector General with respect to the closing 
or consolidation involved, together with an expla-
nation of the assumptions and methodologies used; 
(2) a comparison of the cost savings determined 
by the Inspector General versus the estimates pro-
vided 
by 
the 
Postal 
Service 
under 
section 
404(d)(3)(C)(iii) of title 39, United States Code (as 
amended by section 2(a)); and 
(3) an explanation of the reasons for any dif-
ferences between the Inspector General’s determina-
tion and the Postal Service’s estimates, together 
with recommendations for any legislation or admin-
istrative action which the Inspector General con-
siders appropriate to provide for more accurate esti-
mates. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 404 of title 39, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) For purposes of subsection (d)— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:37 Jul 29, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2692.IH
H2692
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) the term ‘postal facility’ includes an office, 
branch, station, or other facility which— 
‘‘(A) is operated by the Postal Service; and 
‘‘(B) provides services to persons described 
in paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(2) any reference to the persons served by a 
postal facility shall include any postal patrons receiv-
ing mail delivery service from such postal facility, 
residents within any ZIP code served by such postal 
facility, postal patrons having post office boxes at 
such postal facility, and the relevant local govern-
ment officials (as defined under regulations of the 
Postal Service).’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:37 Jul 29, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2692.IH
H2692
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS