Podcasts about postal regulatory commission

The Postal Service is falling into pattern raising stamp prices each January and July. But its regulator is considering limits to those price increases. A proposed rule from the Postal Regulatory Commission would cap UPSP to only raising prices once per year. The regulator gave USPS the freedom to set mail prices higher than the rate of inflation in 2020 when the agency was at risk of running out of cash. USPS is planning to set the price of a first-class Forever stamp to 78 cents next month. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe climate scam is officially over, it has been defunded. The [CB] are struggling, Trump is setting the stage and is trapping the [DS] and China. Soon the dismantling will be complete. Trump and team are finally putting America first.  The [DS] is panicking, Trump and the patriots are releasing the puzzle pieces one piece at a time. Eventually the pieces will form a picture and the people will finally see who the true criminal. Tulsi sends a message to the [DS] and the people of this country. Trump replaces the portrait of Obama with fight, fight, fight portrait. All roads lead to Obama and HRC. Everything is being put into place to bring down the [DS].   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy https://twitter.com/TomFitton/status/1910890395304669444 USPS To Hike Stamp Prices By About 7.4% To 78 Cents Effective This Summer The U.S. Postal Service has proposed raising the price of a "forever" stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents as part of a broader rate hike set to take effect July 13, pending approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission, according to CBS News. The increase would raise mailing service prices by about 7.4%. The USPS says the hike is necessary for financial stability, continuing a trend of rate increases under former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who warned customers to expect “uncomfortable” pricing adjustments after a decade of flawed pricing models. Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/RealAllinCrypto/status/1910415797052203317   https://twitter.com/RealJessica05/status/1910812769164603530 trade surpluses with the U.S., are now facing real consequences. Tariffs hurt them more than us. Trump holds the leverage. China, Europe, and Latin America all are feeling the pressure. This is not just a pause. It's a test: Who's ready to renegotiate the terms of global trade Xi calls on EU to join China in jointly resisting 'unilateral bullying' by U.S. There is no winner in a tariff war, and going against the world will only result in self-isolation, says Chinese President Xi Jinping amid the tariff war with U.S. As U.S. President Donald Trump targeted China with heavy tariffs while pausing levies on other countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday (April 10, 2025) appealed to the European Union (EU) to “jointly resist the unilateral bullying" by Washington.  Source: thehindu.com   https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/1910721712250855787   negotiate with China to remove tariffs and trade barriers, and put in place strong structural protections for IP. Trump Lobs Energy Bomb at EU EU leaders face a dire choice with no consensus. Germany and France advocate talks, aiming to lessen Trump's demands—perhaps by partly meeting his energy terms—to avert disaster. They dread export slumps, factory closures, and a downturn worse than past crises, clinging to a fragile hope of stability. The EU Commission's pleas for cohesion fall flat amid the clash. Ireland and Luxembourg brace for export losses, while Italy and Spain eye energy price hikes that could spark unrest. The European Central Bank, hampered by debt and limited options, stands by anxiously. Protests ripple across cities like Lisbon and Warsaw, split between anger at Trump and frustration with Brussels' long drift. If the EU buckles under Trump's grip, a new path could open: a alliance of sovereign states, free from Brussels' overreach and Washington's demands. The West might be tearing itself apart, but from the debris, a stronger,

Recorded at the National Press Club, Federal News Network Reporter Jory Heckman and Bob Levi review the Postmaster General's recent interaction with the House and Senate at recent congressional hearings, as well as the Postal Regulatory Commission's ongoing assessment of the Delivering for America plan. Jory and Bob also discuss how Trump Administration and changes in Congress may impact the Postal Service. In addition, they talk about the just-uncovered unmet contract goals for the deployment of electric USPS delivery vehicles. 

Before becoming technology director at World BEYOND War, podcast host Marc Eliot Stein endured three mind-blowingly bad contract positions with three departments of the federal government in a row during the years of the Obama administration. Here's a personal tale of a strange journey into deep mediocrity at the Department of Labor, Postal Regulatory Commission and the Center for Disease Control, and a harsh look at a capital city still haunted by a legacy of racism.

Shoot us a Text.It's Tuesday and we're talking about strong May sales from major brands, Ford's $950 million renovation of Michigan Central Station and star-studded grand reopening concert, as well as another sign of the times…increasing stamp prices and why it matters, or doesn't.Automakers are reporting strong U.S. light-vehicle sales gains for May, with a combined 10% growth among five reporting automakers, led by Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. With the SAAR surpassing 16M for the first time this yearToyota: Sales climbed 16% to 216,611 vehicles, with a significant boost from hybrid and electric models, comprising 39% of sales.Honda: May sales rose 6.4% to 127,129 vehicles, driven by crossovers like the CR-V and HR-V, despite a slip in electrified vehicle sales.Hyundai: Achieved a 12% increase, with significant gains from eco-friendly models, though some top sellers like the Elantra and Tucson saw declines.Kia: Increased sales by 5% to 75,156 vehicles, with the Sportage and Forte leading the gains.Subaru: Reported a 7% sales increase, with the Crosstrek and Forester showing strong growth, and electric Solterra sales surging by 255%.Ford undertook an ambitious $950 million renovation of the historic Michigan Central Station in 2018  to create a mobility hub and attract tech-savvy employees. The project faced numerous challenges, including the pandemic and reclaiming stolen artifacts an is finally about to open its doorsFord bought the 18-story train station in 2018 for $90 million to house teams working on autonomous and electric vehicle technology.The six-year project involved 3,100 workers, restoring original architecture and sourcing materials from the original quarry.Ford reclaimed stolen artifacts, including original clock pieces and cast-iron rosettes, often negotiating with owners to buy them back.“Talent attraction is our No. 1 goal now… This Corktown area will do that,” said Bill Ford.The U.S. Postal Service has received approval to raise first-class mail stamp prices from 68 cents to 73 cents starting July 14. This hike is part of a broader strategy to address financial challenges.The Postal Regulatory Commission approved the 7.8% increase in mailing service prices.USPS aims to raise $44 billion in additional revenue by 2031 through its new pricing policy.The agency also seeks a 25% price hike for high-volume shippers using its Parcel Select service.First-class mail volume fell 6.1% in the past year, marking the lowest volume since 1968.10 years ago the price of a stamp was raised to .49Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle MountsierGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/ Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email

Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) Chairman Michael Kubayanda joins Bob to discuss last month's Senate oversight hearing on the Postal Service, as well as the Commission's  regulatory activities relating the Postal Service's "Delivering for America" plan. As part of their conversation, Mike and Bob talk about the PRC's insistence that the USPS request a PRC Advisory Opinion on the plan. On May 16, about 3 hours after the episode taped, the USPS filed its refusal to make such a request at this time.

* Guest: Bryan Rust, Over the past 50 years, Rust Coins has been working to educate customers about precious metals - RustCoinAndGift.com * Honest Money Report: Gold - $2349.60 Silver - $28.39. * Tucker Slams Christians For Not Being More Like Him? - AmericanLiberty.News * BRICS Expansion vs US and Its Currency! - TheBlaze.com Originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS has doubled in size with new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, comprising nearly half of the world's population and 30% of the global economy. Thirty more countries are lining up to join. * Fox News host Sandra Smith fact-checked Joe Biden Wednesday following a video clip of remarks he made about inflation at the White House - Biden claimed that inflation was lower during his administration than it was under the Trump administration. Smith called out Biden for his claims about inflation, calling them "false,"! * The USPS Wants You to Pay More for Stamps-Again It hopes to start charging 73 cents per stamp in July - Kate Seamons, Newser.com The US Postal Service said Tuesday that it wants to raise the price again, in what the Wall Street Journal reports would be the fourth increase since the start of 2023. The cost of a stamp was most recently upped two cents to 68 cents in January. This time around, the USPS wants to push it up five more cents to 73 cents. The 7.4% increase would need to get the blessing of the Postal Regulatory Commission before going into effect on the planned date of July 14. The Journal notes it would mark the sixth increase since 2020. * Consumer Reports: Lunchables Unsafe for School Lunch 14K sign petition calling for their removal from school lunch program Arden Dier, Newser.com Lunchables contain lead and unhealthy levels of sodium, according to testing by Consumer Reports , which has launched a petition urging the Department of Agriculture to remove the snack kits from the school meal program it oversees. * A panel of undecided voters featured on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" unanimously raised their hands when asked if former President Donald Trump's economic policies would be better for their families. Around one in five homeowners and renters said they are skipping meals to afford housing under Biden's economy, according to a Friday survey conducted by real estate company Redfin. * CEO of Key Advisors Wealth Management Eddie Ghabour on Wednesday said it was a mistake for Joe Biden's administration to say inflation would fall, he predicted inflation will ramp up again.

A few weeks ago, Mark Action left the Postal Regulatory Commission with two decades of engagement with the postal community under his belt. Over a cup of coffee at local Washington, DC, coffee house, Mark shares with Bob his reflections about serving on the PRC and the agency's importance to ensure transparency, accountability and performance.

It appeared that the Statute of Freedom, which is sits atop the Capitol, needed scaffolding to stabilize it in the wake of the U.S. House of Representatives' shutdown, resulting from the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. During this week's episode of NAPS Chat, Bob discusses the “House shutdown,” the overwhelming passage of a temporary government funding bill that sealed McCarthy's fate, Senate confirmation of Robert Taub and Thomas Day to the Postal Regulatory Commission, a recent Postal Inspector General report on mail theft, and two pending U.S. Supreme Court cases that may have implications for the Postal Service, as well as other federal agencies.

President Brian Renfroe and Chief of Staff Kori Blalock Keller discuss NALC's legislative and political agenda. Listen in to learn how NALC engages lawmakers to support legislation that will make a meaningful difference for letter carriers. In this episode, Brian and Kori talk about current legislative efforts like the Social Security Fairness Act, as well as forthcoming legislation to address violent crime on letter carriers and other issues that affect our members. They also discuss the latest news from Capitol Hill, including the looming government shutdown and recent Postal Regulatory Commission confirmations. Learn more about NALC's Letter Carrier Political Fund at Nalc.org/pac.   Stick around for the Ask the Mailbag segment at the end of the episode!   Have questions you'd like answered on the podcast? Email social@nalc.org. Podcast episodes with closed captioning are available on our YouTube channel.  Keep up with NALC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

During this week's episode of NAPS Chat, Smithsonian Institution Postal Museum Curator Lynn Heidelbaugh joins Bob to talk about U.S. mail transportation. One of the major components of the Delivering for American Plan is shifting from air transport to ground movement of letters and packages. Moving the Mail, is an ongoing exhibit at the National Postal Museum, which traces the evolution of mail transport. So, it would instructive to examine the reasons for different modes of mail movement. In addition, Bob talks about the nomination of former USPS Senior Vice President of Government Relations Thomas Day to the Postal Regulatory Commission and his recent confirmation hearing.

During this week's episode of NAPS Chat, Bob Levi discusses the imminent introduction of a Senate companion to H.R. 3005, the Postal Police Reform Act, by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin (D-IL); the May 17 House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce hearing, at which Postmaster General DeJoy testified; and the Postal Regulatory Commission's ongoing "Public Inquiry" into the USPS Sorting and Processing Center initiative.

President Joe Biden has nominated 28 judges, 33 ambassadors amongst other key nominations.PN99 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Dilawar Syed, of California, to be Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration,PN68 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Colleen Joy Shogan, of Pennsylvania, to be Archivist of the United StatesPN67 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Robert G. Taub, of New York, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring October 14, 2028.PN27 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Daniel I. Werfel, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue for the term expiring November 12, 2027,PN9 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Phillip A. Washington, of Illinois, to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for the term of five years,

President Joe Biden has nominated 28 judges, 33 ambassadors amongst of key nominations. PN99 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Dilawar Syed, of California, to be Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration,PN68 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Colleen Joy Shogan, of Pennsylvania, to be Archivist of the United States PN67 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Robert G. Taub, of New York, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring October 14, 2028. PN27 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Daniel I. Werfel, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue for the term expiring November 12, 2027, PN9 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) — Phillip A. Washington, of Illinois, to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for the term of five years, Support The Show: https://patreon.bpmg.usSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Americans should get used to “uncomfortable” postage rate increases in coming years as the U.S. Postal Service seeks to become self-sufficient, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Thursday. The Postal Service Board of Governors sets postage rates, but DeJoy said he'll advocate for raising prices until “we have accomplished our objective of projecting a trajectory that shows us being self-sustaining.” “I believe we have been severely damaged by at least 10 years of a defective pricing model which cannot be satisfied by one or two annual price increases, especially in this inflationary environment,” he added. DeJoy made the remarks at a Board of Governors meeting in which the Postal Service reported a loss of about $1.7 billion for the latest quarter. A sweeping overhaul meant to shore up the Postal Service's financial future will be reflected in the next quarter's results. The long-delayed law also ensures six-day-a-week mail delivery. The bill was signed by President Joe Biden on the same day the Postal Service announced plans for the latest rate increase. If the increase wins final approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission, then the cost of a first-class “forever" stamp will grow by 2 cents to 60 cents, effective July 10. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

On today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, the General Services Administration is aiming for a new target to increase the volume of contracts awarded to small, disadvantaged businesses. The State Department has more than $55 million in new investments in information technology thanks to COVID relief funding. Richard Spires, principal at Richard A. Spires Consulting, former chief information officer at DHS and IRS and author of "Success in the Technology Field – A Guide for Advancing Your Career,” discusses how important IT is becoming in mission delivery for government agencies. The Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) still has more than $700 million to give out after the latest awards to the Postal Regulatory Commission and the Selective Service. Dan Chenok, executive director of the IBM Center for The Business of Government and former branch chief for information policy and technology for the Office of Management and Budget, explains how the TMF Board can expedite the awards process. Federal Election Commission Deputy Chief Information Officer Wei Luo discusses how the FEC is using cloud technology to drive innovation and secure elections. This interview is part of FedScoop's “Cloud-Driven Innovation in Federal Government” video campaign, sponsored by AWS. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every weekday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. And if you like what you hear, please let us know in the comments.

On today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, the soon-to-be-released fiscal 2023 budget request will align defense funding towards Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2). Federal Chief Information Officer and Chair of the Technology Modernization Fund Board Clare Martorana joins the podcast to discuss the latest round of TMF awards to the Postal Regulatory Commission and the Selective Service System, changes underway at the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer and what she's seen after one year as Federal CIO. Arlette Hart, master solution architect at Leidos and former chief information security officer at the FBI, breaks down the challenges government agencies face with implementing the customer experience and cybersecurity pieces of the president's management agenda. This interview is underwritten by Leidos. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. And if you like what you hear, please let us know in the comments.

In today's Federal Newscast, a Postal Service banking pilot isn't drawing many customers.

Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) Vice Chairwoman Ashley Poling joins NAPS Director of Legislative and Political Affairs Bob Levi on this week's episode of NAPS Chat. Vice Chairwoman Poling and Bob discuss the two recent PRC Advisory Opinions relating to the Postal Service's changes to the speed of mail and parcel delivery. In addition, they discuss potential efforts to equip the PRC with enhanced authority over USPS operational changes that may adversely impact mail services to the public.

10/12/21 : Joel is joined by the Vice Chairwoman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, Ashley Poling. Joel and Ashley discuss service issues, the structural role of the Postal Regulatory Commission, and the PRC's role in the postal industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you think about the slow up in the service? The U.S. Postal Service's controversial slowdown of mail delivery that began October 1 is sparking a pushback from 20 attorneys general. On Thursday, the state officials — ranging from California to New York — sued the Postal Regulatory Commission, alleging that the federal oversight agency didn't fully vet the broad-ranging plan before the USPS moved forward with it. The Postal Regulatory Commission, or PRC, is the independent federal agency with oversight over the Postal Service's operations. The lawsuit claims the PRC only examined a small part of a 10-year plan created by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, which the complaint alleges will "transform virtually every aspect of the Postal Service." The PRC said it has received the lawsuit, and will establish a docket for the matter "and take it under advisement." It said its regulations prohibit it from discussing the issue further. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of NAPS Chat, NAPS Director of Legislative and Political Affairs discusses presidential nominations to postal agencies, a complaint filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission against the Postal Service by 20 state attorney generals, a modest USPS pilot program relating to postal banking, and the status of postal legislation.

Jeffrey Post, a legislative fixture in the postal world, joins Bob Levi on this week's episode of NAPS Chat. They discuss how the venue for legislative deliberations (i.e., the House and Senate personal office, the committee office within the respective legislative bodies, or the executive branch) can make a difference. In addition, Jeff and Bob discuss Jeff's experience working for different committee chairs, and his perspective regarding the congressional role in postal matters, and reviewing nominees to the Board of Governors and the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), senior member of the House Committee on Oversight & Reform and former chair of the committee's postal subcommittee, joins Bob Levi on this week's episode of NAPS Chat. Rep. Lynch and Bob discuss pending postal legislation and fleet modernization, the representative's and his congressional district's unique affinity to postal issues, and the congressman's views relating to the Postal Regulatory Commission's advisory opinion on reduced delivery standards.

NAPS Director of Legislative and Political Affairs Bob Levi goes solo on this week's edition of NAPS Chat. Bob discusses the Postal Regulatory Commission's (PRC) Advisory Opinion on the Postal Service's proposal to slow down the mail, which the Commission, in its opinion, characterized as "not ready for prime time," and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro going to federal court to stop the proposal. In addition, Bob talks about the PRC's affirmation of the Postal Service's August 29 rate increase. Bob also chats about committee-approved legislation relating to postal family-medical leave, new legislation to change the method for determining retiree COLAs, and the pending H.R. 3076, the Postal Reform Act of 2021.

Pennsylvania's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, joins Bob Levi on NAPS Chat to discuss his activities to protect America's mail service. In part, Attorney General Shapiro speaks about his recent Postal Regulatory Commission filing on behalf of 21 states, objecting to the Postal Service's proposed plans to slow the mail and his successful 2020 federal lawsuit that forced the Postal Service to revoke certain operational changes that could have impacted election mail. The Attorney General also raised the possibility of future legal action against the Postal Service should the agency impair prompt and effective mail delivery.

Bob Levi discusses this week's postal news, including the Postal Regulatory Commission's public hearing on the Postal Service's proposed new service standards. In addition, Bob takes a deep dive into H.R. 3077, the Postal Service Improvement Act, which was approved by the House Oversight and Reform Committee three weeks ago.

Today, we're going to help you do the one thing that might have been holding you back. That is, START. Keely Chace is a Hallmark Master Writer, says "It's good business to send a handwritten thank-you note for the courtesy of an interview, for referrals or opportunities, for above-and-beyond work done for you, for mentoring and many other professional situations. After an interview, a gracious thank-you card can distinguish one candidate from another. More generally, it makes the sender memorable, leaving a positive impression and paving the way for a lasting business relationship." Shutterfly even talks about this and provides several helpful examples. They say "Many people underestimate the power of a simple handwritten thank you note. These days it seems easy to send a quick email, text message or phone call. They all get the job done, right? But a handwritten thank you note says more. It says that you went out of your way to sit down and write to those who did something for you. A handwritten thank you note conveys thoughtfulness and sincerity and is the perfect way to express your gratitude to anyone and for any occasion." Writer, avid quilter, Hallmark.com blogger and Mom, Jeanne Field says "The hardest part of writing a thank-you note, for many, is just starting it." So, let's get your Patients talking! Let's create a memorable mark on their life with a few simple words in a handwritten note that will get them remarking to others about just how wonderful you, your practice and your care truly are in your community. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started! Reasons To START! A generic letter, postcard or mailer about your practice sent will likely be in the garbage, right? Handwritten notes, short or long-form separate YOU from the competition. Receiving a note in the mail will take your Patients by surprise. Let me put this out there first. Mailed Letters and personally addressed, handwritten note cards Get Opened! According to the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission, the average American received only 10 pieces of personal mail for the year in 2017. This rarity is why handwritten letters feel so valuable. If you're looking to create more positive word of mouth-patient referrals, give your patients something worthy or actually remarking to others about. What do you think would happen if just ten out of hundreds of your patients received a personal, handwritten note from their Doctor? I bet they would keep it in a special place. You probably have a few handwritten notes or personal letters that you've kept as memorabilia. I know from experience that people would tell their neighbors, family and friends about a note they received from their Doctor. It's truly that rare! It's also truly that powerful and meaningful. That's how word of mouth - patient referrals start. It doesn't happen by accident. Get strategic. Next, you don't need permission to do this. Stop over-thinking gratitude. Truett Cathy, the former CEO and Founder of Chick-Fil-A once said, "The universal sign that someone needs encouragement is if they are still breathing." To further inspire and encourage you to take START, one of your peers, a Physician turned entrepreneur commented on a CMT post just yesterday about this topic happening in Concierge Medicine in February 2021 on LinkedIn and wrote "It would be fabulous if we could realistically scale kindness." READ FULL STORY HERE: https://wp.me/p2Y9ja-fMi

During this week's episode of NAPS Chat, Berkshire Company President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Fallon and Bob discuss the challenges confronting the postal marketplace, Mark's insight regarding election mail, and how the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) plays a role in influencing postal policy. In addition, Mark and Bob discuss the recent "final rules" issued by the Postal Regulatory Commission that modifies the postage rate-setting process. In addition to leading the Berkshire Company, a consulting firm specializing in mail and document processing strategies, Mark Fallon is a well-respected thought-leader on postal matters.

Ep041 - An overview and commentary on the Postal Regulatory Commission's 10-year review of the USPS Pricing Authority as part of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act published on November 30, 2020 - 12-11-2020

Ashley Poling is a commissioner on the Postal Regulatory Commission. She was nominated by Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate on Thursday, August 1 for the remainder of a six-year term that expires November 22, 2024. Prior to joining the Commission, Ms. Poling served as the Director of Governmental Affairs and Senior Counsel to Ranking Member Gary C. Peters (D-MI) on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee where she advised Senator Peters on policy issues, negotiated with stakeholders to advance bipartisan legislation, and implemented strategies to advance Senator Peters’ governmental affairs priorities. Ms. Poling also served as Senior Policy Counsel to Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and as Counsel to Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) on their respective Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittees, where she focused on postal reform and federal workforce issues. Ms. Poling holds a J.D. degree from Elon University School of Law and an English degree from The College of William and Mary. She is a native of North Carolina.Follow the Postal Regulatory Commission on Twitter @PostalRegulator.Want to recommend a guest for the podcast? E-mail William Gray at wgray@rstreet.org.

During this week's episode of NAPS Chat, former Postal Regulatory Commission chairman Dan Blair and Bob discuss ongoing and festering controversies with regard to postal performance, the importance of transparency in postal operations, election implications for the future of the USPS, and the importance of presidential transitions. Currently, Dan Blair is senior counselor for the Center for Presidential Transition. Over a 17-year period, Dan served on Capitol Hill in senior positions on the House and Senate committees having jurisdiction over the Postal Service. In addition Dan was president and chief executive officer for the National Academy for Public Administration, and senior counselor at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

During this week's episode of NAPS Chat, Ivan and Bob discuss the impact that the four recent federal court rulings against the USPS, as well as the USPS settlement of a lawsuit filed in a Montana federal court may have on congressional and Postal Regulatory Commission actions, the potential impact that USPS actions and external attacks on the USPS may have on the public's views of the agency, and how to use the NAPS Presidential Candidate Questionnaire and Congressional Scorecard, which appear in the October issue of the Postal Supervisor magazine.

On this episode, we welcome Dan Blair, former Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, former Academy President and Academy Fellow, to discuss transparency and trust during the election season, the post office's role in supporting the election cycle, coordination at different levels of government, and recommendations for the postal service.Music Credits: Sea Breeze by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

During this week's episode of NAPS Chat, PRC Commissioner Mark Acton and Bob discuss how Mark's 15-year PRC tenure and political background inform his outlook on changes being experienced by the USPS. In addition, Commissioner Acton talks about the PRC's role in defining universal mail service, providing legislative recommendations to Congress and the President, and evaluating postal rates and postal performance.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the Postal Service’s financial problems, and the urgency for Congress to fix them. The Government Accountability Office and the USPS inspector general both say the first step to reform is redefining the agency’s universal service obligation to deliver mail to every address six days a week. The Postal Regulatory Commission has also suggested as much. For more, Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman spoke with the commission’s chairman, Robert Taub.

During the week's episode Bob discusses House of Representatives passage of HR 2382, the USPS Fairness Act, the NAPS filing before the Postal Regulatory Commission relating to a new rate-setting regime and this week's USPS Board of Governors meeting.

A Postal Regulatory Commission order proposing expanding pricing authority for the United States Postal Service, a nomination by the President for another Board of Governors member, and a Postal Regulatory Commission semi-decision regarding 2020 price increases for first-class letters.

This week's NAPS Chat focuses on the newly proposed Postal Rate and Classification System, the system that may determine postage rates for the next 5 years. We also discuss the Postal Service's Universal Service Obligation. Finally, NAPS Chat provides information relating to postal-related bills and the status of H.R. 2382, legislation to repeal of the USPS retiree health prefunding requirement, which has surpassed the 290-cosponsor mark.

Ep030 - An update from the Postal Regulatory Commission, a recent decision from the D.C. District Court regarding the $.05 price increase earlier this year, an alert from the Postal Service regarding the Informed Delivery Promotion - 09/30/19

Ep027 - Recap of 2019 Information Exchange User Conference, an update on the Board of Governors and Postal Regulatory Commission confirmations, highlights from Board of Governors meeting as well as 2019 Household Diary Study highlights - 08/19/19

Further info about 2020 pricing, legislative update on the Board of Governors and the Postal Regulatory Commission, the Postal Service's 10-year plan and labor negotiations, and comments about mail.dat and the Idealliance Association - 07/22/19

The seventh annual Executive Branch Review Conference took place on May 8, 2019, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC. The luncheon panel was titled "Revisiting Judicial Deference."The Department of Justice position taken in Kisor v. Wilke seems to acknowledge that Auer deference is in jeopardy and is a marked difference in tone from how DOJ has continued to strongly defend executive authority in its arguments and briefing in the lower appellate courts. Historically, two key defenses in this area have been the now-controversial deference doctrines of Chevron (requiring courts to defer to executive agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes they administer) and Auer/Seminole Rock (requiring courts to defer to executive agency interpretations of their own regulations). Is the administration making a strategic retreat in an attempt to protect those doctrines from a Court where a majority of its members have signaled an openness to revisiting them? Or does this reflect a commitment to the judicial use of traditional tools of textual interpretation to overcome ambiguity, reining in agency autonomy, and discouraging congressional delegations of lawmaking authority to agencies? Furthermore, with cert pending in United Parcel Service, Inc. v. Postal Regulatory Commission, thirteen states in amicus arguments see a new opportunity to reconsider Chevron. As Chevron and Auer/ Seminole Rock form significant parts of the superstructure of the modern administrative state, what does this mean for the future of the constitutional balance?* * * * * As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speakers.Featuring:Dr. John Eastman, Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service and former Dean, Chapman University's Fowler School of Law; Senior Fellow, Claremont InstituteMr. Roman Martinez, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLPProf. David Vladeck, A.B. Chettle Chair in Civil Procedure, Georgetown University Law CenterProf. Adam White, Assistant Professor and Executive Director, The C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State, Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason UniversityModerator: Ms. Sarah M. Harris, Partner, Williams & ConnollyIntroduction: Dean A. Reuter, General Counsel | Vice President & Director, Practice Groups, The Federalist Society

The seventh annual Executive Branch Review Conference took place on May 8, 2019, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC. The luncheon panel was titled "Revisiting Judicial Deference."The Department of Justice position taken in Kisor v. Wilke seems to acknowledge that Auer deference is in jeopardy and is a marked difference in tone from how DOJ has continued to strongly defend executive authority in its arguments and briefing in the lower appellate courts. Historically, two key defenses in this area have been the now-controversial deference doctrines of Chevron (requiring courts to defer to executive agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes they administer) and Auer/Seminole Rock (requiring courts to defer to executive agency interpretations of their own regulations). Is the administration making a strategic retreat in an attempt to protect those doctrines from a Court where a majority of its members have signaled an openness to revisiting them? Or does this reflect a commitment to the judicial use of traditional tools of textual interpretation to overcome ambiguity, reining in agency autonomy, and discouraging congressional delegations of lawmaking authority to agencies? Furthermore, with cert pending in United Parcel Service, Inc. v. Postal Regulatory Commission, thirteen states in amicus arguments see a new opportunity to reconsider Chevron. As Chevron and Auer/ Seminole Rock form significant parts of the superstructure of the modern administrative state, what does this mean for the future of the constitutional balance?* * * * * As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speakers.Featuring:Dr. John Eastman, Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service and former Dean, Chapman University's Fowler School of Law; Senior Fellow, Claremont InstituteMr. Roman Martinez, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLPProf. David Vladeck, A.B. Chettle Chair in Civil Procedure, Georgetown University Law CenterProf. Adam White, Assistant Professor and Executive Director, The C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State, Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason UniversityModerator: Ms. Sarah M. Harris, Partner, Williams & ConnollyIntroduction: Dean A. Reuter, General Counsel | Vice President & Director, Practice Groups, The Federalist Society

In today's Federal Newscast, the Postal Service lost money for the 12th straight year, though a rate increase on stamps could help. 

The U.S. Postal Service had a rough third quarter, but soon it could get more leeway in setting stamp prices under a proposal before the Postal Regulatory Commission. Federal News Radio's Jory Heckman has been following this story, and provides the details on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

The post office is in trouble. Faced with an enormous debt and a legal obligation to serve every single American, the United States Postal Service needs Congress to make some changes in order to prevent service cuts and financial ruin. In this episode we analyze the plan currently moving through Congress. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Bill Outline H.R. 756: Postal Service Reform Act of 2017 Title I: Postal Service Benefits Reform Postal employees will be enrolled in Medicare Cancels the requirements for the USPS to pre-fund employee retirement health benefits. Title II: Postal Service Operations Reform Creates a Board of Governors, which will have power over the Postmaster General and determine the strategic direction and pricing of the post office products. Stops the requirement for door delivery to new addresses starting the day the bill is enacted. Businesses will get "centralized delivery, curbside delivery, or sidewalk delivery" with all of them converted by September 30, 2023. Residences will be able to convert voluntarily starting on October 1, 2018 and will have shared delivery points for up to 50 units each. We will be informed in writing if our homes have been selected by the end of March 2019 and we can sign a "conversion consent form" to agree. New residents will automatically be converted to the centralized delivery Gives the Postal Regulatory Committee more flexibility in setting postal rates Allows the post office to provide State and local government services Allows the post office to reinstate half of the rate surcharge that was in effect in April 2016. Title III: Postal Service Personnel Creates a Chief Innovation Officer position Title IV: Postal Contracting Reform Allows the post office to issue non-competitive contracts, with notification requirements if they are over $250,000 Additional Reading Article: House panel displays bipartisan unity over bill to save Postal Service from financial ruin by Joe Davidson, The Washington Post, February 7, 2017. Article: Federal agencies turning to UPS, Fed Ex instead of USPS for delivery needs by Mary Lou Byrd, The Washington Times, June 11, 2013. Article: How Healthcare Expenses Cost Us Saturday Postal Delivery by Josh Sanbum, TIME, February 7, 2013. References Document: H.R. 1628: Senate Health Care Bill Twitter: Who Drafted Secret Health Care Bill USPS: USO Executive Summary USPS: Mail & Shipping Prices National Association of Letter Carriers: About NALC GovTrack: H.R. 756: Postal Service Reform Act of 2017 GovTrack: H.R. 760: Postal Service Financial Improvement Act of 2017 GovTrack: H.R. 5714 (114th): Postal Service Reform Act of 2016 CBO: H.R. 5714 CBO Score GovTrack: H.R. 6407 (109th): Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act CBO: H.R. 6407 CBO Score White House: President Bush's Statement on H.R. 6407 Video Clips YouTube: Kathleen Madigan - Post Office YouTube: Jerry Seinfeld - Post Office Bit YouTube: Seinfeld clip - Because the mail never stops YouTube: Tom Papa - Post Office Bit Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Accomplishing Postal Reform in the 115th Congress - H.R. 756, The Postal Service Reform Act of 2017, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, February 7, 2017. Watch on CSPAN Witnesses Megan J Brennan: Postmaster General Robert Taub: Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission Lori Rectanus: Direction or Physical Infrastructure issues at the US Gov’t Accountability Office Arthur Sackler: Manager at the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service Fredric Rolando: President of the National Association of Letter Carriers 5:19 Rep. Jason Chaffetz: Last July I was proud to see our committee favorably report the bill by a voice vote. Unfortunately, it didn’t make it across the finish line before the end of the Congress, but we did make a lot of progress, particularly with getting the CBO—the Congressional Budget Office—to come in and score the bill. 6:10 Rep. Jason Chaffetz: In an era of partisan politics, this legislation represents a significant bipartisan compromise. The bill gives the Postal Service the freedom it needs to successfully meet the business realities the agency faces. To do this, the bill allows the Postal Service to fully integrate its healthcare plans with Medicare. With such integration, the Postal Service can virtually wipe out its 52-billion-dollar retiree healthcare unfunded liability. Further, the bill achieves real savings by moving to more-efficient mail delivery, saving the Postal Service more than $200 a year for each address that can be converted from the door-to-door delivery to centralized delivery. The bill also helps the agency more accurately evaluate its cost structure and reforms key governance matters. 8:10 Rep. Elijah Cummings: The other thing I thank you for, Mr. Chairman, is so often what happens is that when a lot of work has been done in one term, it’s just tossed away, and then you have to start all over again. But I thank you for picking up where we left off. 10:40 Rep. Elijah Cummings: The total volume of mail handled by the Postal Service has fallen by more than 25% since 2006, and continued declines are expected. The cost of the Postal Service’s operations have also risen, in part because the Postal Service is required to provide universal delivery service to every address in the United States. Every year, about 900,000 new addresses are created in this country; and a network of postal facilities, letter carriers, and workers must expand to deliver to every new address—900,000; that’s a lot. The Postal Service is burdened by a 2006 statutory requirement imposed by Congress to fully pre-fund its liabilities for retiree healthcare costs, a requirement that no other federal agency or private-sector company faces. These liabilities, combined with the Postal Service’s unfunded pension liabilities, currently total about $125 billion, which is almost double its annual revenues. Even as it fixed costs continued to grow, the exigent rate increase that had been approved to enable the Postal Service to recoup some of the losses incurred because of a 2008 recession’s permanent impact on mail volume expired. Since 2006 the Postal Service has implemented significant cost-saving measures, including reducing positions and work hours, and consolidating facilities and delivery routes. 14:08 Rep. Elijah Cummings: Taking all these requirements and trends together, the Postal Service reported a net loss of $5.3 billion for fiscal year 2016, which represents a 10th consecutive year of net losses. We have repeatedly discussed the deteriorating financial condition at the Postal Service in this committee, but the situation is now worsened by unprecedented lack of any Senate-confirmed members on the Postal Service’s Board of Governors. Because many key management decisions are reserved by statute to the Senate-confirmed board members, there are many actions, such as establishing rates, class, and fees for products, that the Postal Service simply cannot take now. The need for postal reform is as urgent as it ever was. Fortunately, we also may be closer than ever to enacting reform. We must press ahead—all of us. 18:50 Rep. Gerald Connolly: I want to commend Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings for their leadership in holding together this coalition—not easy—and it’s a bipartisan coalition that helped write this bill. And especially Chairman Chaffetz could have yielded to the temptation, in light of the circumstances of 2017, to start all over again, and he didn’t do that. We worked together, we held it together, and I want to thank all the stakeholders represented in this room and those not in this room for understanding we can’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. 24:25 Megan Brennan: The Postal Service is self-funded. We pay for our operations through the sale of postal products and services and do not receive tax revenues to support our business. Over the past decade, total mail volume declined by 28%. First-class mail, which makes the greatest contribution to covering the cost of our networks, declined by 36%. In response, we have streamlined our operations, restructured our networks, reduced the size of our workforce, and improved productivity. As a result of these efforts, we’ve achieved annual cost savings of approximately $14 billion. We also successfully stabilized marketing-mail revenues and grew our package business, which together drive e-commerce growth. However, given the constraints imposed by law, all of those actions cannot offset the negative impacts caused by the consistent decline in the use of first-class mail. The Postal Service is required to maintain an extensive network necessary to fulfill our universal service obligation to deliver the mail to every address six days a week, regardless of volume. The cost of the network continues to grow as approximately one million new delivery points are added each year. However, less volume, limited pricing flexibility, and increasing costs means that there is less revenue to pay for our growing delivery network and to fund other legally mandated costs. Since 2012 the Postal Service has been forced to default on $33.9 billion in mandated payments for retiree health benefits. Without these defaults, the deferral of critical capital investments, and aggressive management actions, we would not have been able to pay our employees and suppliers, or deliver the mail. Despite our achievements in growing revenue and improving operational efficiency, we cannot overcome systemic financial imbalances caused by business-model constraints. 26:40 Megan Brennan: We believe there is broad support for the core provisions of the bill you have introduced. By enacting this urgently needed legislation, which includes those provisions, the Postal Service can achieve an estimated $26 billion in combined cost reductions and new revenue over five years. Enactment of these provisions, favorable resolution of the Postal Regulatory Commission’s pricing-review system, and continued aggressive management actions will return the Postal Service to financial stability. Medicare integration is the cornerstone of your bill. The civilian federal government is not required to pre-fund retiree health benefits, but that obligation is imposed on the Postal Service. We are merely asking to be treated like any business that offers health benefits to its retirees and has to fund them. Full integration with Medicare is a universally accepted best practice in private sector. Requiring full Medicare integration for Postal Service retirees would essentially eliminate our unfunded liability for retiree health benefits. It is simply a matter of fairness to enable the Postal Service and our employees to fully utilize the benefits for which we have paid. We also strongly endorse the provision of the bill that would restore half of the exigent rate increase as a permanent part of our rate base. That provision will help us pay for the infrastructure necessary to fulfill our universal service obligation. 28:20 Megan Brennan: H.R. 756 is fiscally responsible and enables the Postal Service to invest in the future and to continue to provide affordable, reliable, and secure delivery service to every business and home in America. 30:30 Robert Taub: H.R. 756 is specifically designed to put the Postal Service on sound financial footing. 33:43 Lori Rectanus: The continued deterioration of the Postal Service’s financial condition is simply a truth that revenues are not keeping up with expenses, a trend since 2007. This means that over the last decade the Postal Service has had a net loss of over $60 billion. While much of this loss was in fact due to the nonpayment of retiree health pre-funding payments, the Postal Service still lost over $10 billion outside of this requirement and other requirements. The revenue-expense gap occurs because first-class mail, the most profitable mail, continues to decline and is now down to 1981 levels. The Postal Service has made significant efforts to grow revenue in other ways, such as with package services. In the meantime, however, expenses continue to grow, largely because of compensation and benefit payments for employees. This is due to salary increases, as well as a larger workforce, in the past several years to support the more labor-intensive package business. In fact, over the past three years, the workforce has actually increased by over 20,000 people, contrasting sharply with prior years when its size decreased greatly. 38:15 Arthur Sackler: We support this bill and urge its approval as promptly as possible. 41:26 Arthur Sackler: H.R. 756 provides an elegant solution to this profound financial problem, integrating postal annuitants into Medicare will save the Postal Service billions each year and follow the best practices of the private sector. Companies that offer health insurance to employees and retirees generally require them to join Medicare at age 65. 42:06 Arthur Sackler: The implications of this bleak financial situation are near existential for Postal Service in its current form, so we support H.R. 756 notwithstanding its one-time market-dominant postal rate increase of 2.15%. We accept this increase in this unique set of circumstances only as necessary to achieve this bill and stabilize the Postal Service. Congress has wisely delegated rate setting to the postal agencies, but with respect, the industry will be compelled to oppose any effort to regard this bill as a precedent for other legislated rate increases. The industry has long supported the self-sustaining postal system, funded entirely by postage. That remains the best course from our perspective. And that is the beauty of your bill. It vastly improves the Postal Service’s financial stability, keeps the Postal Service self-sustaining, and wards off any prospect of a taxpayer bailout, as you noted, Mr. Chairman. 44:25 Fredric Rolando: The bill has broad support across the mailing industry, including business and labor, and is based on best practices in the private sector. 45:30 Fredric Rolando: Over the past decade, postal employees have worked diligently to restructure operations, cut costs, and sharply increase productivity, in response to technological change and the Great Recession. Despite the loss of more than 200,000 jobs, we’ve managed to preserve our networks and to maintain our capacity to serve the nation. But only Congress can address our biggest financial challenge: the unique and unsustainable burden to pre-fund future retiree health benefits decades in advance. No other enterprise in the country faces such a burden, which was imposed by legislation in 2006. The expense of this mandate has accounted for nearly 90% of the Postal Service’s reported losses since 2007. Without a change in the law, the mandate will cost $6 billion this year alone. H.R. 756 would maximize the integration of Medicare and our federal health program for Medicare-eligible postal annuitants, most of whom have already voluntarily enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. The proposal would also give us access to low-cost prescription drugs and other benefits provided to private-employer plans by the Medicare Modernization Act. The savings would help to reduce all of our premium costs and, therefore, pre-funding costs. This approach adopts a standard practice of large private companies that provide retiree health insurance. It would effectively resolve the pre-funding burden that undermines the health of the Postal Service while only raising Medicare spending by one-tenth of one percent over 10 years. H.R. 756 also addresses a revenue shortfall caused by the expiration of the 2013 exigent rate increase, authorized by the Postal Regulatory Commission, to help the Postal Service recover from the permanent decline in mail volume caused by the Great Recession. The compromise adopted by your leadership bill, effectively restoring half of the exigent increase, is a reasonable one. 48:00 Fredric Rolando: All four postal unions urge the committee to adopt this legislation. 52:06 Rep. Jason Chaffetz: What is your current cash on hand; and then once you give me that number, then why isn’t that used to pay some of the payments that were due? You’ve defaulted, I believe, on five payments. Megan Brennan: Yes, Mr. Chairman, we’ve defaulted for the past five years to the tune of $33.9 billion. Our current cash on hand is $8.2 billion. And a determination was made by the Temporary Emergency Committee, which consisted at the time of our lone independent governor, myself, and the deputy postmaster general, to default on that payment to ensure that we can serve sufficient cash, which for an organization of our size is arguable at best, but to reserve sufficient cash to ensure if there was any contingency that would occur in the near term, we could at least have some cushion. Chaffetz: I mean, you have more cash than some of the others who are in the mail industry, but where is that proper balance? Where’s… ? Brennan: When I think—that’s a concern, Mr. Chairman, because for an organization that has expenditures of more than $70 billion a year, we would submit that $8.2 billion is insufficient. That’s the concern for us. And, also, as noted by the Chairman, and we’ve discussed this, the fact that we have deferred on critical capital investments in the past five years to the tune of over $8.9 billion, that impacts our ability to compete and to generate additional revenues. Chaffetz: Tell us, if you can give me a perspective on your fleet management. There was a hearing I think Chairman Meadows chaired earlier about the fleet. We were concerned the Postal Service was going to come up with a very sizeable contract to… Explain to me, where you are in the fleet and your perspective on it. Brennan: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Well, we have one of the largest civilian fleets in the country, with over 212,000 vehicles travelling more than four million miles a day. The fleet, though, is at the end of its expected life, particularly our delivery vehicles that the average age is over 25 years, and the annual maintenance cost is over a billion dollars. So, we have an approach to look at the next-generation delivery vehicles, that currently we’re in the midst of a prototype-testing period where we’re working with six different suppliers to provide us with these vehicles that we will test over the course of the next 18 months. We also just—this week, actually—a request for proposal for a commercial off-the-shelf solution for right-hand-drive vehicles is expected. So, we’ve got a multi-prong approach looking at how to address the vehicle fleet. 58:35 Rep. Stephen Lynch: There are some concerns out there about the funding of that piece that will require postal employees to sign up for Medicare and that it is some type of giveaway. That’s what I’ve heard out there. Now, you and I know differently. But could you explain to me how much money the postal workers have contributed to Medicare but, in large part, have not participated in that? Could you describe that for me, please? Megan Brennan: Yes, Congressman. In our opinion, this is a question of fairness. We’re merely asking that we be treated like any other self-funded entity that provides retiree health benefits. As noted by a number of the panelists, it’s best practice in private sector. And that’s the ask from the Postal Service, and our employees and the Postal Service have paid more than $30 billion into the Medicare trust fund since the early ’80s. We’re just asking to receive the benefit for which employees have paid. 1:03:35 Rep. Blake Farenthold: You mentioned that part of your expenses is six-day delivery to everywhere. Is it worth looking at, at some point in the future, maybe not six days to everywhere for everything? I mean, to be competitive, maybe you do need six. And, actually, I think one of your competitor’s advantage is seven-day package delivery. Over Christmas, I got packages from Amazon that you guys brought on Sunday. Matter of fact, I got one a couple of weeks ago. Apparently you’re still doing it. So, is shrinking to a less-than-six-day delivery for non-packages a potential cost savings? Megan Brennan: Yeah, as you noted, we are delivering packages seven days in select locations, primarily major metropolitan areas. Farenthold: I’m happy Corpus Christi, Texas, is now a major metropolitan area. Brennan: I said primarily. And we are expanding that, because, certainly, we serve every home— Farenthold: Right. Brennan: —and every business, Congressman. To your point, and candidly, we’ve spent the better part of the past two years trying to build a coalition around core provisions of a bill likely to generate broad support. Farenthold: Right. Brennan: And that’s what we focused on. And, also, I would offer candidly, it’s been my experience that there’s no congressional consensus around moving to five-day delivery. Farenthold: Oh, I could tell you that for sure, as well. 1:06:02 Rep. Blake Farenthold: You talked about capital expenses, your biggest being vehicles. What are your big capital—just list off a couple of items that are your big capital items beyond vehicles. Megan Brennan: The information systems, our IT infrastructure, repair and alteration, facility modifications, additional capacity for package sortation. 1:17:56 Rep. Darrell Issa: Additionally, the United States Post Office, with the power of the government, if they chose to aggressively site in or near people’s homes cluster boxes that could safely hold packages, they would leapfrog in service capability what Amazon is trying to build at your corner gas station, wouldn’t they. And I guess I should take that to the postmaster general. Not, what are the problems, but if you did that, wouldn’t you, in fact, offer a service far better and far more distributed than that which Amazon is trying to build today in some parts of urban America? Megan Brennan: Congressman Issa, as you and I discussed, the Postal Service approach is all new, possible deliveries. As noted—excuse me—we add nearly a million a year. Based on the delivery characteristics, we either implement box on post at the end of your driveway or centralized delivery. And just looking at last year, where when we looked at the growth by mode, over 750,000 new deliveries were centralized. So, there's certainly an efficiency gain associated with that. 1:26:40 Rep. Jody Hice: One of the issues that came up specifically dealt with Amazon and a serious competitor that they are, and one of the areas of technology that they’ve excelled in, obviously, is drone delivery. Is there any looking into consideration of drone delivery with the Postal Service? Megan Brennan: Currently, our engineering group is researching, and we’re probably on the peripheral of this advanced technology, currently just learning. And I would say whether it’s drone exploration or any other type of new technology, Congressman, we need the capital monies to be able to invest. Hice: Well, I understand the need for capital monies to invest, but you are looking into the possibility? Brennan: We’re exploring and recognizing what’s happening in the industry. Right now, we’re not an early adopter, I would categorize that, but we’re certainly aware of what’s happening in that space. Hice: Okay, so, at the current time, then, the commitment is to continue with the vehicle delivery. Brennan: Correct. 1:45:15 Rep. Mark Meadows: The gentleman recognizes the gentleman with the stylish glasses, from Missouri, for five minutes. Rep. William Lacy Clay: And, Mr. Chair, I noticed that the ranking member took some of my time. Oh, no—they restarted. Very good. Meadows: The gentleman will recognize that the chairman is always fair with— Clay: All right. Meadows: —his time. Clay: The— Meadows: We’re glad the gentleman from Missouri could get out of bed to come to this hearing. 1:49:00 Megan Brennan: We just recently, Congressman, raised prices on our market dominant, within that strict price cap— Unknown Speaker: Yeah. Brennan: —of eight-tenths of a percent. We also have the 10-year price review before the Commission, currently. 1:51:23 Rep. Mark Meadows: Well, you said all four unions support this bill, with no changes. Is that correct? With no changes, you support this bill, all four unions. Fredric Rolando: Yeah, all four unions support this bill. I think we mentioned two tweaks in the written testimony that we thought would be helpful. Meadows: Yeah, and then, but if those two tweaks don’t get done, this is better than— Rolando: Totally support this bill coming out of committee. Absolutely. 2:07:14 Arthur Sackler: I think that with the establishment of so much trust and reliance on electronic media, there is little that can be done to reverse some of the outflow of mail. But if you add a huge increase on top of that, it’s going to accelerate it dramatically. That’s the worry of the industry. Rep. Glenn Grothman: Okay, you consider the 2.1% not a significant increase? Is that what you’re telling us? Sackler: It is significant, but it is one that, to put it colloquially, we’re all holding our noses and accepting in the spirit of compromise in order to get this bill done. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Missing Cat! Please help! One of our listeners in Boqueron, Puerto Rico is missing his furry friend. Please keep an eye out for him if you are in the area.