[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 97 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S7185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PRYOR:
  S. 1912. A bill to clarify the provision of section 3626(b) of title 
39, United States Code, defining an ``institution of higher 
education''; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.


                    elderhostel catalog legislation

  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, to day I am introducing legislation that 
will address a situation facing Elderhostel. Elderhostel, for those who 
have not heard of this organization, is an independent, non-profit 
organization which operates a central course catalog and registration 
system for college level classes for people over the age of 60. These 
courses are sponsored by colleges and universities at more than 1,900 
colleges, universities, museums, national parks, and environmental 
education centers in the United States, Canada, and 47 other countries. 
Elderhostel receives no Federal or State support.
  Elderhostel provides easy access to these continuing education 
programs through the mailing of its course catalog. Unfortunately, a 
U.S. Postal Service definition prevents Elderhostel from mailing their 
catalog at a second-class catalog rate. This catalog rate is used, for 
example, by the American Bar Associations' continuing legal education 
material. Elderhostel is barred from using that rate because rather 
than being a catalog of one institution of higher learning, it is a 
compilation of courses offered by otherwise eligible ``regularly 
incorporated non-profit institutions of learning.''
  The legislation I am introducing today simply expands the definition 
of an institution of higher education eligible to mail at second-class 
rates to include a nonprofit organization that coordinates a network of 
college level courses that non-profit colleges and universities offer 
to older adults. The National Federal of Nonprofits, the Advertising 
Mail Marketing Association and the Direct Marketing Association have no 
objection to this legislation.
  Mr. President, this bill solves a problem caused by the fact that 
Elderhostel does not fit neatly into the Postal Services' definitions 
and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
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