[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2249 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 2249


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                July 22 (legislative day, July 21), 2003

  Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To amend chapter 10 of title 39, United States Code, to include 
   postmasters and postmasters' organizations in the process for the 
development and planning of certain personnel policies, schedules, and 
 programs of the United States Postal Service, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Postmasters Equity Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. POSTMASTERS AND POSTMASTERS' ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Percentage Representation Requirement.--The second sentence of 
section 1004(b) of title 39, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``that an organization (other than an 
        organization representing supervisors) represents at least 20 
        percent of postmasters,'' after ``majority of supervisors,''; 
        and
            (2) by striking ``supervisors)'' and inserting 
        ``supervisors or postmasters)''.
    (b) Consultation and Other Rights.--Section 1004 of title 39, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
    ``(h)(1) In order to ensure that postmasters and postmasters' 
organizations are afforded the same rights under this section as are 
afforded to supervisors and the supervisors' organization, subsections 
(c) through (g) shall be applied with respect to postmasters and 
postmasters' organizations--
            ``(A) by substituting `postmasters' organization' for 
        `supervisors' organization' each place it appears; and
            ``(B) if 2 or more postmasters' organizations exist, by 
        treating such organizations as if they constituted a single 
        organization, in accordance with such arrangements as such 
        organizations shall mutually agree to.
    ``(2) If 2 or more postmasters' organizations exist, such 
organizations shall, in the case of any factfinding panel convened at 
the request of such organizations (in accordance with paragraph 
(1)(B)), be jointly and severally liable for the cost of such panel, 
apart from the portion to be borne by the Postal Service (as determined 
under subsection (f)(4)).''.
    (c) Definitions.--Subsection (i) of section 1004 of title 39, 
United States Code (as so redesignated by subsection (b)(1)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting 
        a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) `postmaster' means an individual who is the manager 
        in charge of the operations of a post office, with or without 
        the assistance of subordinate managers or supervisors;
            ``(4) `postmasters' organization' means an organization 
        recognized by the Postal Service under subsection (b) as 
        representing at least 20 percent of postmasters; and
            ``(5) `members of the postmasters' organization' shall be 
        considered to mean employees of the Postal Service who are 
        recognized under an agreement--
                    ``(A) between the Postal Service and the 
                postmasters' organization as represented by the 
                organization; or
                    ``(B) in the circumstance described in subsection 
                (h)(1)(B), between the Postal Service and the 
                postmasters' organizations (acting in concert) as 
                represented by either or any of the postmasters' 
                organizations involved.''.
    (d) Thrift Advisory Council Not To Be Affected.--For purposes of 
section 8473(b)(4) of title 5, United States Code--
            (1) each of the 2 or more organizations referred to in 
        section 1004(h)(1)(B) of title 39, United States Code (as 
        amended by subsection (b)) shall be treated as a separate 
        organization; and
            (2) any determination of the number of individuals 
        represented by each of those respective organizations shall be 
        made in a manner consistent with the purposes of this 
        subsection.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this section shall take effect 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 21, 2003.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.