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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2000
Release No. 37

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Postmaster General William J. Henderson and Rep. John McHugh (R-NY) are scheduled to discuss the issue of postal legislative reform in a satellite broadcast from Providence, RI, during the annual mailing industry conference, National Postal Customer Council (PCC) Day, on May 18.

Postal Customer Councils throughout the country bring together businesses, mailers and postal officials to share ideas, improve working relationships, and learn about postal products and services. More than 100 Postal Customer Councils across the country will host PCC Day events.

During the satellite broadcast, the Postmaster General will restate his support for the newly revised H.R. 22 Postal Modernization Act of 2000 authored by Congressman McHugh, chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Postal Service.

Henderson said, "Taken as a whole, this legislation will help preserve universal mail service and bring pricing stability to the mailing industry. The bill will give the Postal Service the flexibility it needs to embrace new technologies and offer new products and services to meet changing market demands and better serve the American people."

Under the proposed legislation, postal products would be separated into competitive and non-competitive categories. Competitive products would include Priority and Expedited Mail, bulk Parcel Post, and bulk International Mail. These services would be subject to antitrust and fair competition laws, and to local zoning, parking and similar rules. Non-competitive products, such as First-Class Mail and Periodicals, would be subject to price caps based on the Consumer Price Index. The primary change to this version of the bill is the removal of the provision allowing the Postal Service to establish a private corporation.

Postal Service officers will appear at 50 PCC Day events throughout the country to educate PCC members on the importance of legislative reform to the Postal Service and the mailing industry.