The House Government Reform Committee has delayed consideration of the Postal Modernization Act of 1999 (HR-22), which would overhaul the U.S. Postal Service, for at least one month if not longer.
Although the panel, chaired by Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), had tentatively agreed to consider the bill at yesterday’s business meeting, committee members asked for a delay so they could complete their review of the latest version of the measure, which its postal subcommittee approved on April 29.
That version of the bill, endorsed by Postmaster General William J. Henderson and a significant portion of the direct marketing industry, is sponsored by postal subcommittee chairman John McHugh (R-NY). It would allow the USPS to set some of its rates, spin off its competitive products and services operated by a private law corporation and increase some of the Postal Rate Commission’s authority over the USPS.
Even if approved by Burton’s committee, the bill has to clear the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL), before it can reach the House floor for a vote. Judiciary committee members are still reviewing those portions of the bill dealing with the legal and anti-trust aspects of the private law corporation. That review, sources said, is not expected to be completed until late summer at the earliest.
Meantime there are unconfirmed reports that at least two members of the Government Reform Committee, Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Steven C. La Tourette (R-OH), are each preparing substitute postal reform legislation without many of the more controversial aspects of McHugh’s bill.
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