<section xmlns="http://xml.house.gov/schemas/uslm/1.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" style="-uslm-lc:I80" id="id8f12b97c-2e14-11e4-b127-c8ba1d094f32" identifier="/us/usc/t39/s501"><num value="501">§ 501.</num><heading> Establishment</heading><content>
<p style="-uslm-lc:I11" class="indent0">The Postal Regulatory Commission is an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States.</p>
</content><sourceCredit id="id8f12b97d-2e14-11e4-b127-c8ba1d094f32">(Added <ref href="/us/pl/109/435/s601/a/1">Pub. L. 109–435, title VI, § 601(a)(1)</ref>, <date date="2006-12-20">Dec. 20, 2006</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/120/3238">120 Stat. 3238</ref>.)</sourceCredit>
<notes type="uscNote" id="id8f12b97e-2e14-11e4-b127-c8ba1d094f32">
<note style="-uslm-lc:I74" topic="effectiveDateOfAmendment" id="id8f12b97f-2e14-11e4-b127-c8ba1d094f32"><heading class="centered smallCaps">Effective Date of 2006 Amendment</heading><p><ref href="/us/pl/109/435/s601/b">Pub. L. 109–435, title VI, § 601(b)</ref>, <date date="2006-12-20">Dec. 20, 2006</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/120/3239">120 Stat. 3239</ref>, provided that: <quotedContent origin="/us/pl/109/435/s601/b">“The amendment made by subsection (a)(1) [enacting this section and <ref href="/us/usc/t39/s502">section 502 of this title</ref>] shall not affect the appointment or tenure of any person serving as a Commissioner on the Postal Regulatory Commission (as so redesignated by section 604 [see Tables for classification]) under an appointment made before the date of enactment of this Act [<date date="2006-12-20">Dec. 20, 2006</date>] or any nomination made before that date, but, when any such office becomes vacant, the appointment of any person to fill that office shall be made in accordance with such amendment.”</quotedContent>
</p>
</note>
<note style="-uslm-lc:I74" topic="miscellaneous" id="id8f12b980-2e14-11e4-b127-c8ba1d094f32"><heading class="centered smallCaps">Assessments of Ratemaking, Classification, and Other Provisions</heading><p><ref href="/us/pl/109/435/s701">Pub. L. 109–435, title VII, § 701</ref>, <date date="2006-12-20">Dec. 20, 2006</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/120/3242">120 Stat. 3242</ref>, provided that:<quotedContent origin="/us/pl/109/435/s701">
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="a">“(a)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">In General</inline>.—</heading><chapeau>The Postal Regulatory Commission shall, at least every 5 years, submit a report to the President and Congress concerning—</chapeau><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><content> the operation of the amendments made by this Act [see Tables for classification]; and</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><content> recommendations for any legislation or other measures necessary to improve the effectiveness or efficiency of the postal laws of the United States.</content>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="b">“(b)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Postal Service Views</inline>.—</heading><content>A report under this section shall be submitted only after reasonable opportunity has been afforded to the Postal Service to review the report and to submit written comments on the report. Any comments timely received from the Postal Service under the preceding sentence shall be attached to the report submitted under subsection (a).”</content>
</subsection>
</quotedContent>
</p>
</note>
<note style="-uslm-lc:I74" topic="miscellaneous" id="id8f12b981-2e14-11e4-b127-c8ba1d094f32"><heading class="centered smallCaps">Report on Universal Postal Service and the Postal Monopoly</heading><p><ref href="/us/pl/109/435/s702">Pub. L. 109–435, title VII, § 702</ref>, <date date="2006-12-20">Dec. 20, 2006</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/120/3243">120 Stat. 3243</ref>, provided that:<quotedContent origin="/us/pl/109/435/s702">
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="a">“(a)</num><heading> Report by the Postal Regulatory Commission.—</heading><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">In general</inline>.—</heading><content>Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act [<date date="2006-12-20">Dec. 20, 2006</date>], the Postal Regulatory Commission shall submit a report to the President and Congress on universal postal service and the postal monopoly in the United States (in this section referred to as ‘universal service and the postal monopoly’), including the monopoly on the delivery of mail and on access to mailboxes.</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Contents</inline>.—</heading><chapeau>The report under this subsection shall include—</chapeau><subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="A">“(A)</num><content> a comprehensive review of the history and development of universal service and the postal monopoly, including how the scope and standards of universal service and the postal monopoly have evolved over time for the Nation and its urban and rural areas;</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="B">“(B)</num><content> the scope and standards of universal service and the postal monopoly provided under current law (including sections 101 and 403 of title 39, United States Code), and current rules, regulations, policy statements, and practices of the Postal Service;</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="C">“(C)</num><content> a description of any geographic areas, populations, communities (including both urban and rural communities), organizations, or other groups or entities not currently covered by universal service or that are covered but that are receiving services deficient in scope or quality or both; and</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="D">“(D)</num><content> the scope and standards of universal service and the postal monopoly likely to be required in the future in order to meet the needs and expectations of the United States public, including all types of mail users, based on discussion of such assumptions, alternative sets of assumptions, and analyses as the Postal Service considers plausible.</content>
</subparagraph>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="b">“(b)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Recommended Changes to Universal Service and the Monopoly</inline>.—</heading><chapeau>The Postal Regulatory Commission shall include in the report under subsection (a), and in all reports submitted under section 701 of this Act [set out as a note above]—</chapeau><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><content> any recommended changes to universal service and the postal monopoly as the Commission considers appropriate, including changes that the Commission may implement under current law and changes that would require changes to current law, with estimated effects of the recommendations on the service, financial condition, rates, and security of mail provided by the Postal Service;</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><chapeau> with respect to each recommended change described under paragraph (1)—</chapeau><subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="A">“(A)</num><content> an estimate of the costs of the Postal Service attributable to the obligation to provide universal service under current law; and</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="B">“(B)</num><content> an analysis of the likely benefit of the current postal monopoly to the ability of the Postal Service to sustain the current scope and standards of universal service, including estimates of the financial benefit of the postal monopoly to the extent practicable, under current law; and</content>
</subparagraph>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="3">“(3)</num><content> such additional topics and recommendations as the Commission considers appropriate, with estimated effects of the recommendations on the service, financial condition, rates, and the security of mail provided by the Postal Service.</content>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="c">“(c)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Consultation</inline>.—</heading><chapeau>In preparing the report required by this section, the Postal Regulatory Commission—</chapeau><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><content> shall solicit written comments from the Postal Service and consult with the Postal Service and other Federal agencies, users of the mails, enterprises in the private sector engaged in the delivery of the mail, and the general public; and</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><content> shall address in the report any written comments received under this section.</content>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="d">“(d)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Clarifying Provision</inline>.—</heading><content>Nothing in this section shall be considered to relate to any services that are not postal services within the meaning of <ref href="/us/usc/t39/s102">section 102 of title 39</ref>, United States Code, as amended by section 101 of this Act.”</content>
</subsection>
</quotedContent>
</p>
</note>
<note style="-uslm-lc:I74" topic="miscellaneous" id="id8f12b982-2e14-11e4-b127-c8ba1d094f32"><heading class="centered smallCaps">Provisions Relating to Cooperative Mailings</heading><p><ref href="/us/pl/109/435/s711">Pub. L. 109–435, title VII, § 711</ref>, <date date="2006-12-20">Dec. 20, 2006</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/120/3248">120 Stat. 3248</ref>, provided that:<quotedContent origin="/us/pl/109/435/s711">
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="a">“(a)</num><heading> Study.—</heading><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">In general</inline>.—</heading><chapeau>The Postal Regulatory Commission shall examine section E670.5.3 of the Domestic Mail Manual to determine whether it contains adequate safeguards to protect against—</chapeau><subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="A">“(A)</num><content> abuses of rates for nonprofit mail; and</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="B">“(B)</num><content> deception of consumers.</content>
</subparagraph>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Report</inline>.—</heading><content>The Commission shall report the results of its examination to the Postal Service, along with any recommendations that the Commission determines appropriate.</content>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="b">“(b)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Failure to Act</inline>.—</heading><content>If the Postal Service fails to act on the recommendations of the Commission, the Commission may take such action as it determines necessary to prevent abuse of rates or deception of consumers.”</content>
</subsection>
</quotedContent>
</p>
</note>
</notes>
</section>