The House of Representatives passed a postal reform bill, H.R. 22, late last night by a 410-20 vote.
A companion bill in the Senate S. 662 was not expected to be taken up until after the August recess, said Neal Denton, executive director of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers.
The bill, also known as the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, seeks to preserve universal service, give back to the Department of the Treasury the responsibility to fund the military and “modernize” the rate-setting process.
The bill also seeks to change the name of the Postal Rate Commission to the Postal Regulatory Commission and broaden its authority by giving it subpoena power and other powers.
“The legislation we are considering today is the culmination of a decade of hard work and study, not to mention a great deal of bipartisan negotiation and cooperation,” said Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), one of the bill’s sponsors. “Consequently, H.R. 22 now represents our best chance at solving the structural, legal, and financial constraints that have brought the Postal Service to the brink of utter breakdown.”
But prospects for postal reform becoming being passed this year remain uncertain since the Bush administration is not entirely behind postal reform as the bills are currently written.
Late last night, Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL), neither co-sponsor said that H.R. 22 is a positive but “delicate compromise” that deserves House passage.
“It isn’t perfect, but it’s a good step forward.”
