US Postal Service 2014 Annual Report Download - page 42

2014 Report on Form 10-K United States Postal Service 38
H.R. 2748 would limit the closure of rural post offices and require the Postal Service to consider broadband penetration, cellular
phone service and the distance to the closest alternate access point when determining whether to close a post office. It would
create a Chief Innovation Officer position responsible for identifying and growing new postal and authorized non-postal
products and would also raise the current revenue limit on experimental product market tests.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee amended and passed the bill by a margin of 22-17 at its July 24,
2013 meeting. In 2014, however, no legislative action took place on H.R. 2748.
U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors
On July 30, 2014, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a meeting to consider the
nominations of James C. Miller III, Stephen D. Crawford, David Michael Bennett and Victoria Reggie Kennedy, to be named
Governors of the United States Postal Service. The Committee ordered the nominations reported favorably. The nominations
now await consideration by the full Senate.
On September 17, 2014, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing to consider the
nomination of Chairman Mickey D. Barnett to serve an additional term on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors. The
nomination now awaits consideration by the full Committee.
On October 8, 2014, President Obama announced his nomination of David S. Shapira to serve on the Board of Governors of the
United States Postal Service for a term expiring on December 8, 2019. This nomination brought to six the total number of
Board of Governors nominations pending before the Senate.
On November 12, 2014, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a meeting to consider the
nomination of Chairman Mickey D. Barnett to serve an additional term on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors. The
Committee ordered the nomination reported favorably. The nomination now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
Postal Regulatory Commission
On May 21, 2014, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee considered the nominations of Tony
Hammond, of Missouri, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring October 14, 2018, and
Nanci E. Langley, of Hawaii, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission for a term expiring November 22,
2018. Both nominations were reported favorably by the Committee. The nominations were sent to the full Senate for
consideration.
On January 7, 2014, the PRC announced the designation of Commissioner Mark Acton as Vice Chairman of the PRC. PRC
regulations provide that the Commissioners elect a member to serve as Vice Chairman for a term of one year.
Other Noteworthy Legislation
On July 17, 2014, the Savings, Accountability, Value and Efficiency III Act of 2014 (“H.R. 5152”), a bill to save the Federal
Government money by reducing duplication and increasing efficiency was introduced in the House. H.R. 5152 requires the
Postal Service to reduce petroleum consumption by two percent every year over the next 10 years, and sets minimum fuel
efficiency and emission standards for all new fleet vehicles. It also requires the Postal Service to incorporate new technologies
that increase fuel economy or reduce emissions, and directs it to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine if the cost to
maintain vehicles outweighs the benefit of replacement. The bill was referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform
and the House Energy and Commerce Committees.
On July 23, 2014, H.R. 5179, the Providing Opportunities for Savings, Transactions, and Lending (POSTAL) Act of 2014, was
introduced in the House. The bill would amend Title 39, United States Code, to provide that the Postal Service may offer certain
basic financial services. The services would include small-dollar loans, checking accounts and interest-bearing savings
accounts, services related to international money transfers, and other services determined by the Postal Service to be appropriate
and in the public interest. The bill was referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
On July 31, 2014, H.R. 5377, the Postal Facilities Preservation and Sales Reform Act, was introduced in the House. The bill
would provide for certain safeguards with respect to the sale of Postal Service facilities listed or eligible to be listed in the
National Register of Historic Places. The bill prohibits the Postal Service from entering into any contract or agreement to sell,
relocate, or cease services at any historic postal facility pending review in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic