§3661 — Title 39 Postal Service | U.S. Code

Summary

The Postal Service must provide and promote adequate and efficient mail services. If it plans a change that will affect mail service nationwide or almost nationwide, it must send a proposal to the Postal Regulatory Commission in a reasonable time before the change and ask for an advisory opinion. The Commission cannot give that opinion until there is a formal hearing on the record under sections 556 and 557 of title 5 with the Postal Service, mail users, and a Commission officer to represent the public. The opinion must be written, and each Commissioner who agrees with it must certify that, in their judgment, it follows the policies in this title.

Title 39, §3661

Postal Service — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Postal Service shall develop and promote adequate and efficient postal services.

(b)When the Postal Service determines that there should be a change in the nature of postal services which will generally affect service on a nationwide or substantially nationwide basis, it shall submit a proposal, within a reasonable time prior to the effective date of such proposal, to the Postal Regulatory Commission requesting an advisory opinion on the change.

(c)The Commission shall not issue its opinion on any proposal until an opportunity for hearing on the record under section 556 and 557 of title 5 has been accorded to the Postal Service, users of the mail, and an officer of the Commission who shall be required to represent the interests of the general public. The opinion shall be in writing and shall include a certification by each Commissioner agreeing with the opinion that in his judgment the opinion conforms to the policies established under this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–435 substituted “Postal Regulatory Commission” for “Postal Rate Commission”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective July 1, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71–9 of the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as a note preceding section 101 of this title. Commission on Postal Service Pub. L. 94–421, § 7, Sept. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 1307, related to establishment, appointment and compensation of personnel and officers of a Commission on Postal Service and its duty to determine public service aspects of Postal Service and extent to which public service aspects of Postal Service are to be supported by appropriations, to study rate making, and to review service levels and electronic fund transfers and communication techniques, with appropriate recommendations to be transmitted to President and Congress on or before Mar. 15, 1977, 60 days after which transmittal it was to cease to exist.

§3661 Postal services