The "Postal Service Transparency and Review Act" increases oversight of the Postal Service by requiring advisory opinions from the Postal Regulatory Commission for significant service changes.
Andrew Clyde
Representative
GA-9
The Postal Service Transparency and Review Act increases oversight of the Postal Service by requiring them to submit proposals to the Postal Regulatory Commission for advisory opinions before implementing significant service changes. The Postal Service is prohibited from acting on the proposed change before the Commission issues its advisory opinion. The Commission can suspend implementation if the Postal Service fails to seek a required advisory opinion, and mandates that mail service levels return to pre-change levels until an advisory opinion is sought. Congress can disapprove the Postal Service's proposal via joint resolution.
Bill Mandates 180-Day Review for Major Postal Service Changes, Adds Congressional Oversight
This bill, the "Postal Service Transparency and Review Act," aims to put significant changes to your mail service under closer scrutiny before they happen. Essentially, it requires the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to get an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) before rolling out any changes that affect service nationwide or have a major impact within a specific postal district. The USPS would need to submit its proposal 180 days ahead of the planned implementation date.
Putting Postal Plans Under the Microscope
Here's the core mechanism: Once the USPS proposes a significant change – think things like altering delivery standards, closing facilities, or major operational shifts – it triggers a 180-day countdown. During this period, the PRC, the independent body overseeing the Postal Service, reviews the proposal and must issue an advisory opinion. Crucially, Section 2 of the bill states the USPS cannot act on its proposed change until this opinion is delivered.
What if the Postal Service tries to implement a change without asking for this review? The bill gives the PRC the power to suspend the change and order the USPS to revert service back to how it was before, until the required advisory opinion is sought and issued. This acts as an enforcement lever to ensure the review process isn't bypassed. For anyone relying on consistent mail service, from small businesses shipping products to individuals receiving medications, this mandatory pause offers a period for expert review, though it could also slow down potentially necessary operational adjustments.
Adding a Congressional Checkpoint
Beyond the PRC review, the bill introduces another layer of oversight involving Congress. It uses chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, typically applied to federal agency regulations, to allow Congress to potentially block the USPS's proposed changes. After the PRC issues its advisory opinion, Congress has a window of 60 legislative days to pass a specific type of resolution (a "joint resolution of disapproval"). If such a resolution passes, the Postal Service's proposed change is effectively vetoed and cannot be implemented. This means even if a change clears the PRC review, it could still face a final hurdle in Congress, adding another element of uncertainty and potential delay to major postal initiatives.