1 tion, and employee benefits. The President shall include the 2 budget of the Commission, with his recommendations but 3 without revision, as a separate item in the budget required 4 to be transmitted to the Congress by section 201 (a) of the 5 Budget and Accounting Act, 1921 (31 U.S.C. 11(a)).”. 6 TEMPORARY CHANGES IN RATES AND CLASSES 7 SEC. 4. (a) The first sentence of section 3641 (a) of 8 title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking out 9 "90" and inserting in lieu thereof "180" and by striking 10 out "30" and inserting in lieu thereof "60". 11 (b) Section 3641 (c) of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking out "one-third" and inserting in lieu 13 thereof "10 percent". 12 14 15 16 CHANGES IN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF POSTAL RATE COMMISSION SEC. 5. Section 3601 of title 39, United States Code, 17 is amended to read as follows: 18 "$3601. Establishment 19 66 (a) The Postal Rate Commission is an independent 20 establishment of the executive branch of the Government 21 of the United States. The Commission is composed of 5 22 Commissioners, appointed by the President, by and with the 23 advice and consent of the Senate. Not more than 3 of the 24 Commissioners may be adherents of the same political party. "(b) The President shall designate one of the Com 25 1 missioners as Chairman of the Commission. At the begin2 ning of each calendar year, the members of the Commission 3 shall by majority vote designate a Vice Chairman of the 4 Commission who shall serve as Vice Chairman during such 5 year. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman of the 6 Commission in the absence of the Chairman. The Chairman 7 shall serve at the pleasure of the President. 8 "(c) The Commissioners shall be chosen on the basis 9 of their professional qualifications and may be removed only 10 in accordance with section 7521 of title 5.". 11 CHANGES IN PROCEDURES OF POSTAL RATE COMMISSION 12 SEC. 6. (a) Section 3624 (a) of title 39. United States 13 Code, is amended to read as follows: 14 "(a) The Postal Rate Commission shall promptly con15 sider any request made by the Postal Service under section 16 3622 or 3623 of this title. In the course of such consideration, 17 the Commission shall hold hearings and give reasonable 18 public notice thereof, and shall afford reasonable oppor19 tunity for the Postal Service, users of the mails, and an 20 officer of the Commission who shall be required to represent 21 the interests of the general public, to be present, to present 22 evidence, and to be heard at any such hearing.". 23 (b) The first sentence of section 3661 (c) of title 39, 24 United States Code, is amended to read as follows: "The 25 Commission shall not issue its opinion on any proposal until 1 an opportunity for a hearing is accorded interested parties, 2 reasonable public notice is given thereof, and a reasonable 3 opportunity is afforded interested parties, including an officer 4 of the Commission who shall be required to represent the 5 interests of the general public, to be present, to present evi6 dence, and to be heard at any such hearing.". 7 (e) The amendments made by the foregoing provisions 8 of this section shall not affect any proceedings pending be9 fore the Postal Rate Commission on the date of the enact 10 ment of this Act. Orders shall be issued in such proceedings 11 and appeals shall be taken from such proceedings as if the 12 amendments made by the foregoing provisions of this section 13 had not been enacted. Orders issued in any such proceedings 14 shall continue in effect until modified, terminated, super15 seded, or repealed, through any action taken under title 39, 16 United States Code, through action taken by a court of com17 petent jurisdiction, or by operation of law. 18 19 DUTIES AND POWERS OF POSTAL RATE COMMISSION SEC. 7. (a) Section 3603 of title 39, United States 20 Code, is amended to read as follows: 21 "§ 3603. Duties and powers 22 "(a) The Commission shall have the duty to make rec23 ommended decisions for changes in postal rates and fees 24 and in mail classification matters to the Governors and to 1 render advisory opinions on postal services and complaints 2 in accordance with the policies and procedures of this title. 3 "(b) The Commission may, subject to chapters 5 and 7 4 of title 5, conduct investigations, issue and amend orders, 5 rules, and regulations, and establish procedures to carry out 6 its functions and powers and its obligations to the Govern7 ment of the United States and the people as prescribed un8 der this chapter. The Commission also may take any other 9 action it considers necessary and proper to carry out such 10 functions, powers, and obligations. No action of the Com11 mission under this chapter shall be subject to any change 12 or supervision by the Postal Service. The Commission may, 13 in order to carry out its duties and responsibilities and 14 properly exercise its powers under this chapter, inquire into 15 and examine (1) any presentation made in any proceeding; (2) the type, quality, regularity, and reliability of any 17 postal service; and (3) the honesty, efficiency, and economy 18 of postal management.”. 16 19 (b) The table of sections for chapter 36 of title 39, 20 United States Code, is amended by striking out the item 21 relating to section 3603 and inserting in lieu thereof the 22 following new item: "3603. Duties and powers.". 1 2 MEMBERSHIP OF BOARD OF GOVERNORS SEC. 8. (a) Section 202 (a) of title 39, United States 3 Code, is amended 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 (1) by striking out the second sentence thereof and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "Nine of the members, to be known as Governors, shall be appointed as follows: (1) 3 shall be appointed by the President, (2) 3 shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, and (3) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Each of the Governors shall be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. No more than 2 of the Governors appointed under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) may be adherents of the same political party."; and (2) by inserting immediately before the last sentence thereof the following new sentence: "Governors who are also Members of the Congress shall receive no additional pay on account of their service as Governors, but shall be reimbursed for travel and reasonable ex penses incurred in attending meetings of the Board.". (b) Section 202 (b) of title 39, United States Code, is 22 amended to read as follows: "(b) (1) Except as provided by paragraph (2), the 24 terms of the 9 Governors shall be 9 years. |