Postal Reform Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1625
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2011-09-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Disability assistance
Executive agency funding and structure
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
House of Representatives
Judicial review and appeals
Legislative rules and procedure
Marketing and advertising
Political advertising
Postal service
Public contracts and procurement
Senate
U.S. Postal Service

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-23
text: 
Postal Reform Act of 2011 - Amends provisions of federal law relating to the United States Postal Service (USPS) with respect to its reorganization, financial management, and workforce. 
 
Commission on Postal Reorganization Act or CPR Act - Establishes the Commission on Postal Reorganization. Requires USPS to develop and submit to the Commission a plan for the closure or consolidation of postal retail facilities, mail processing facilities, and USPS area and district offices. Requires the Commission to transmit such plan to Congress, publish it in the Federal Register, and hold public hearings. Requires USPS to implement the closure or consolidation of postal facilities and offices recommended by the Commission unless Congress enacts a joint resolution disapproving the recommendations of the Commission.
 
Authorizes USPS to provide for five-day delivery of mail and make adjustments in the rural delivery of mail.
 
Establishes the Postal Service Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority. Requires the USPS to submit to the Authority a financial plan and budget for each year that USPS is in a control period (a period which begins when the USPS has been in default with respect to any loans, bonds, notes, or other form of borrowing for at least 30 days). Grants certain powers to the Authority to act on behalf of USPS during a control period, including the power to renegotiate contracts and to submit recommendations to ensure compliance with USPS financial plans and budgets. Provides for the termination of a control period, subject to congressional approval.
 
Revises provisions relating to the USPS workforce, including regarding: (1) redetermination of pay comparability, (2) limitations on contributions to life and health insurance plains, and (3) collective bargaining rights.
 
Terminates the postal rate preference for national and state political committees. 
 
Reduces rate preferences for advertising by nonprofit organizations.
 
Sets forth provisions for contracting of postal services, including the establishment of an advocate for competition. Requires the Postal Regulatory Commission and USPS to make noncompetitive purchase requests for any noncompetitive award of a postal contract publicly available on the Internet. Sets forth procedures for identifying and resolving ethical issues in the contracting process. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-09-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5947)
action_date: 2011-09-23
text: Introduced in Senate