The Postal Regulatory Commission is holding a public hearing on the universal postal service obligation on July 10 from 10am-12pm at its hearing room in Washington, DC.

The US Postal Service announced some major organizational changes on July 1 designed to make the agency more competitive and responsive to its customers' needs. "The goal is to make us more nimble, make us more focused and to manage our products more aggressively," said Postmaster General Potter during a conference call with reporters this morning.

The catalog industry has faced a number of challenges in the past couple of years, admitted Postmaster General John Potter at an American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA) forum in Washington, D.C. on June 27.

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) is seeking public comment on the most recent draft of the US Postal Service's proposed service performance measurement plan. The plan was published in the Federal Register today.

The US Postal Service submitted its network plan, which outlines the agency's initiatives to produce better and more efficient operations and customer service, with Congress last week.

President George W. Bush has appointed US Postal Service Board of Governors member Ellen Williams for a second term ending on December 8, 2014. The president first appointed Williams to the board in 2006 to serve the remainder of an unexpired term.

The US Postal Service published revised mailing standards today in the Federal Register requiring mailers to place presort bundles on pallets with the addresses facing up. The revised standards go into effect on September 11.

The US Postal Service published a new preparation option for automation letters in the Domestic Mail Manual today.

With growing consumer concerns about the environment, direct mailers are encouraged to take steps to go green. "In today's world, [going green] is becoming a business imperative," says Sam Pulcrano, the US Postal Service's recently appointed corporate VP of sus­tainability.

The Postal Regulatory Commission has recommended approval of a proposed negotiated service agreement (NSA) with Life Line Screening that would allow mobile health screening service providers to earn discounts for Standard Mail letter volumes that exceed specific volume thresholds.