President Bush announced this week that he intends to nominate Tony Hammond to continue in his role as a commissioner of the Postal Rate Commission.
He would serve a six-year term expiring Oct. 14, 2010.
Hammond currently serves as vice chairman of the PRC. He was appointed in November 2002 by the Senate to be a commissioner to complete a term that expired Oct. 14.
Hammond previously owned and managed T. Hammond Co., a private consulting firm based in Arlington, VA. He also served as senior vice president of direct marketing firm Feather, Larson & Synhorst.
The PRC has jurisdiction over changes in postal rates, fees and mail classifications proposed by the U.S. Postal Service. The president appoints the commissioners with the advice and consent of the Senate for six-year terms. No more than three can be members of the same political party.
The other commissioners are chairman George Omas, Danny Covington and Ruth Y. Goldway. Bush nominated Dawn A. Tisdale earlier this year to an open seat for a term expiring in November 2006.
Postal watchdog PostalWatch and several other groups, including Americans for Tax Reform, the American Conservative Union, the National Taxpayers Union, the 60 Plus Association, the Small Business Survival Committee and the Frontiers of Freedom Institute opposed Tisdale's nomination because he is a former postmaster, letter carrier and union chapter vice president.
Tisdale's status as a former postal service employee “has caused us concerns as to his ability to objectively review and evaluate various matters which may come before the Commission,” the leaders of the seven groups wrote. “We fear Mr. Tisdale would be a 'rubber stamp' for the interests of the USPS and its unions rather than an objective, independent citizen/ratepayer watchdog.”
Insiders said Tisdale's nomination could be confirmed during the current lame-duck session of Congress.
