Sec. 206. Flats operations study and reform
436 words·~2 min read·
/bill/117/hr/3076/pcs/section-206·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Postal Regulatory Commission, in consultation with the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service, shall conduct a study to— comprehensively identify the causes of inefficiencies in the collection, sorting, transportation, and delivery of Flats; and quantify the effects of the volume trends, investments decisions, excess capacity, and operational inefficiencies of the Postal Service on the direct and indirect costs of the Postal Service that are attributable to Flats.
For the purposes of carrying out the study under paragraph (1), the Postal Service shall, upon request by the Postal Regulatory Commission, consult with the Postal Regulatory Commission and provide— access to Postal Service facilities to personnel of the Postal Regulatory Commission; and information and records necessary to conduct such study. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Postal Regulatory Commission shall submit to Congress and the Postmaster General a report on the findings of the study conducted under paragraph (1).
In this subsection, the term Flats means products that meet the physical standards described in the Domestic Mail Manual (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act) for Flats mail for any class of mail. Not later than six months after the date on which the Postal Regulatory Commission submits the report described in subsection (a)(3), the Postal Service shall— develop and implement a plan to remedy each inefficiency identified in the study conducted under subsection (a)(1) to the extent practicable; and if the Postal Service determines that remedying any such inefficiency is not practicable, provide to Congress and the Postal Regulatory Commission an explanation why remedying such inefficiency is not practicable, including whether it may become practicable to remedy such inefficiency at a later time.
Prior to implementing the plan described in paragraph (1)— the Postal Regulatory Commission must approve the plan; and the Postal Service shall provide an adequate opportunity for public comment on the plan. On the date on which the plan described in paragraph
(1)is fully implemented, as determined by the Postmaster General, the Postmaster General shall submit to Congress and the Postal Regulatory Commission a written notice of such implementation. During the five-year period beginning on the date on which the Postal Regulatory Commission submits a report under subsection (a)(3), the Postal Service, when making any adjustment to the rate of a market-dominant product (as defined in section 102 of title 39, United States Code), shall consider the findings of such report and, after the plan described in subsection (b)(1) is implemented, the plan’s efficacy in remedying the inefficiencies identified in the study conducted under subsection (a)(1).