SEC. 2. POSTAL FACILITY CLOSURE AND CONSOLIDATIONS. 
(a) MORATORIUM ON CLOSINGS AND CONSOLIDA-
TIONS.—Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, 
the United States Postal Service may not close or consoli-
date any postal facility (as that term is defined in section 
404(f)(5) of title 39, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (b)), or carry out any network rationalization ac-
tivity, until the Postal Regulatory Commission has cer-
tified that the Postal Service has met the national service 
standards in accordance with the requirements of section 
3. 
(b) PROCESS
FOR CLOSING
AND CONSOLIDATING 
PROCESSING FACILITIES.—Section 404 of title 39, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f)(1) The Postal Service may not close or consoli-
date any postal facility without the approval of the Postal 
Regulatory Commission, as provided in this subsection. 
For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘postal facility’ 
means a Postal Service facility that is primarily involved 
in the preparation, dispatch, or other physical processing 
of mail, but does not include— 
‘‘(A) any post office, station, or branch; or 
‘‘(B) any facility used only for administrative 
functions. 
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‘‘(2) Before making a determination to close or con-
solidate any postal facility, the Postal Service shall con-
duct an area mail processing study with respect to the fa-
cility. Such study shall include— 
‘‘(A) a plan to reduce the capacity of the facility with-
out closing the facility; 
‘‘(B) an analysis of the effect of the closure or con-
solidation on the ability of individuals served by the facility 
to vote by mail and the ability of the Postal Service to 
timely deliver ballots in elections for public office by mail 
in accordance with the deadline to return ballots estab-
lished under applicable law; 
‘‘(C) an analysis of the effect of closure or consolida-
tion on the— 
‘‘(i) ability of individuals served by the facility 
to receive medications and other crucial notices and 
market-dominant products; 
‘‘(ii) affected community, including any dis-
proportionate impact on a State, region, or locality; 
‘‘(iii) travel times and distances for affected 
customers to access postal services; 
‘‘(iv) delivery times for all classes of mail; and 
‘‘(v) small businesses in the area, including 
shipping and communications with customers and 
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suppliers and the corresponding impact on revenues, 
operations, and growth; 
‘‘(D) an analysis of any characteristics of the geo-
graphic area in which the facility is located that may have 
a unique effect, including remoteness, broadband internet 
availability, and weather-related obstacles to using alter-
native postal facilities; and 
‘‘(E) any other factor the Postal Service determines 
necessary. 
‘‘(3) The Postmaster General shall publish— 
‘‘(A) any study completed under paragraph (2) 
on the Postal Service public Web site; and 
‘‘(B) a notice that the study is complete and 
available to the public. 
‘‘(4) If the Postal Service makes a determination to 
close or consolidate a postal facility after completing the 
requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3), the Postal Service 
shall— 
‘‘(A) provide written notice of the determination 
to Congress and the Postal Regulatory Commission; 
‘‘(B) provide adequate public notice of the in-
tention to close or consolidate the facility, including 
through written notification (in multiple languages 
where necessary), within 30 days after the date no-
tice is provided under subparagraph (A), to each 
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person in the ZIP code served by such postal facil-
ity; 
‘‘(C) during the period of 120 days beginning 
on the date that is 30 days after the date notice is 
provided under subparagraph (A), ensure that inter-
ested persons have an opportunity to submit public 
comments; 
‘‘(D) prior to the period described in subpara-
graph (C), provide for public notice of such oppor-
tunity by— 
‘‘(i) publication on the Postal Service pub-
lic Web site; 
‘‘(ii) prominent posting at the affected 
postal facility; and 
‘‘(iii) advertising the dates and locations of 
the public community meetings required under 
subparagraph (E); and 
‘‘(E) during the period described in subpara-
graph (C), conduct at least 3 public meetings located 
within the area affected by the closing or consolida-
tion that provides an opportunity for public com-
ments to be submitted verbally or in writing. 
‘‘(5) Before the date on which the Postal Service pro-
poses to close or consolidate a postal facility, the Postal 
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Service shall publish on the Postal Service public Web 
site— 
‘‘(A) notice of the final determination to close 
or consolidate the facility; and 
‘‘(B) a justification statement that includes— 
‘‘(i) a response to all public comments re-
ceived under paragraph (4); 
‘‘(ii) the considerations made by the Postal 
Service under such paragraph; and 
‘‘(iii) the actions that will be taken by the 
Postal Service to mitigate any negative effects 
identified under such paragraph. 
‘‘(6)(A) Beginning on the date that the Postal Service 
publishes the notice under paragraph (5), the Postal Reg-
ulatory Commission shall have 90 days to— 
‘‘(i) review the study, public comments, and the 
Postal Service’s response and notice, as described in 
such paragraphs; and 
‘‘(ii) approve or disapprove of the closure or 
consolidation. 
‘‘(B) If the Commission disapproves the closure or 
consolidation, the Postal Service may not attempt to con-
solidate or close that facility under this subsection for two 
years beginning on the date of the Commission’s deter-
mination under subparagraph (A)(ii). A disapproval notice 
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under this subparagraph shall be published on the Com-
mission’s public Web site. 
‘‘(C) If the Commission approves the closure or con-
solidation, the Postal Service may not begin the closure 
or consolidation action until the date that is 15 days after 
the date of the Commission’s approval. An approval notice 
under this subparagraph shall be published on the Com-
mission’s public Web site.’’. 
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub-
section (b) shall apply to any closure or consolidation de-
termination made by the United States Postal Service 
with respect to a postal facility (as that term is defined 
in section 404(f)(1) of title 39, United States Code, as 
added by subsection (b)) on or after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 3. MARKET-DOMINANT PRODUCT SERVICE STAND-
ARDS. 
(a) NATIONAL MAIL DELIVERY SERVICE STAND-
ARDS.—With respect to any market-dominant product (as 
that term is defined in section 102(8) of title 39, United 
States Code)— 
(1) the national service standards implemented 
by the United States Postal Service and in effect on 
January 5, 2015, shall have no force or effect; and 
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(d) DEFINITION
OF
URBAN, SUBURBAN, 
AND 
RURAL.—For purposes of subsection (c), the Postal Regu-
latory Commission— 
(1) shall promulgate regulations to define the 
terms ‘‘urban’’, ‘‘suburban’’, and ‘‘rural’’; 
(2) in defining the terms under paragraph (1), 
shall— 
(A) consider— 
(i) any recommendations submitted to 
the Commission by the Postmaster Gen-
eral; and 
(ii) existing definitions of those terms 
that are in use by the Postal Service, the 
Federal Government, and other sources; 
and 
(B) incorporate stakeholder input; and 
(3) shall categorize each 3-digit ZIP code area 
as an urban, suburban, or rural community. 
(e) CORRECTIVE ACTION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—If the Postal Regulatory 
Commission finds that the Postal Service is not 
meeting the national service standards, the Commis-
sion may recommend to the Postal Service corrective 
actions and reasonable performance targets to meet 
the standards. The recommendations shall be pub-
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lished on the Commission’s public Web site and an-
nually submitted to Congress and the Postal Service. 
(2) POSTAL
SERVICE
RESPONSE.—Not later 
than 60 days after receiving any recommendations 
under paragraph (1), the Postmaster General shall 
respond in writing to the recommendations. The re-
sponse shall explain how the Postal Service will 
change operations to achieve the recommendations. 
The response shall be published on the Commission’s 
public Web site and annually submitted to Congress 
and the Commission. 
Æ 
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