With the Senate back this week from the Fourth of July recess and the House returning July 13, congressional postal issues should heat up again. Here are some to watch:
* The House is expected to revisit H.R. 4101, the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill, which failed in late June because of treasury-related measures. The bill contains several provisions that would affect the USPS and mailers, including the Northup Amendment, which would authorize the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate postal agreements with foreign countries, and the Wicker Amendment, which would place a one-year moratorium on USPS initiatives such as packaging, sales of office supplies, volume copying and sales of novelty items without PRC approval.
* The Senate version of the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill, which for the most part sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, appropriations for payments to the postal service, also will begin moving soon. This bill, which does not contain the Northup or Wicker amendments, is favored by most mailing organizations, including the Direct Marketing Association.
* H.R. 22., the Postal Reform Act, may move from the Subcommittee on the Postal Service to the full House Government Reform and Oversight Committee sometime this month.
