The Postal Regulatory Commission will hold several public hearings in locations outside of Washington, DC, to get input from a broad cross-section of the mailing community as it develops and implements the new postal law.
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act was enacted Dec. 20, 2006. The new law replaces the approach that has guided postal ratemaking and classification since 1970 with a comprehensive new framework. It charges the PRC with developing a modern system of rate regulation to implement the new framework. To facilitate fulfilling this mandate, the PRC has received written comments on the type and nature of rules needed to effectuate the transition to the new system.
“As part [of its] rulemaking … the PRC has invited mail users from a broad cross-section of the mailing community to testify at several public hearings in locations outside of Washington, DC,” the PRC said.
At this time, these dates and locations have been identified: June 22, in Kansas City, MO; June 28 in Los Angeles; and July 9 in Wilmington, DE. The public is invited to attend the hearings. The PRC has held field hearings in the past, but the last time was in the 1980s.
The PRC said it has issued invitations to testify based largely on geographic location, the development of a full and complete record and the need to meet statutory deadlines for issuing implementing regulations.
The PRC said others who wish to submit comments or testimony may do so via its electronic filing system. All comments and testimony received, including responses to questions from commissioners, will be transcribed, posted on the PRC’s Web site, and used to inform the PRC’s decisions.
The Kansas City field hearing will be held in Council Chambers, City Hall. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and conclude by noon. Scheduled witnesses include Donald J. Hall Jr., vice chairman, president and chief executive officer; Hallmark Cards, Inc.; David Berry, vice president, Community Publications Inc; Mury L. Salls, senior vice president, DST Mailing Services; William S. Berkley, president and chief executive officer, Tension Envelope Corp; and Randy Stumbo, director of distribution and postal affairs, Meredith Corp.
