[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DESIGNATING THE AMOS F. LONGORIA POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration 
of H.R. 2700 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate 
consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2700) to designate the building at 8302 FM 
     327, Elmendorf, Texas, which houses operations of the United 
     States Postal Service, as the ``Amos F. Longoria Post Office 
     Building.''

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.


                           Amendment No. 5413

  (Purpose: To clarify the provision of section 3626(b) of title 39, 
  United States Code, defining an ``institution of higher education'')

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, Senator Pryor has an amendment at the desk, 
and I ask for its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New Hampshire [Mr. Gregg], for Mr. Pryor, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 5413.

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of 
the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       On page 2, insert after line 9 the following new section:

     SEC. 2. INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

       Paragraph (3) of section 3626(b) of title 39, United States 
     Code, is amended by striking the period and inserting '', and 
     includes a nonprofit organization that coordinates a network 
     of college-level courses that is sponsored primarily by 
     nonprofit educational institutions for an older adult 
     constituency.''.

  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, today I am asking the Senate to approve 
H.R. 2700, a bill to name a post office in Elmendorf, TX, the ``Amos F. 
Longoria Post Office Building,'' with an amendment. The amendment, 
which I offered in the Governmental Affairs Post Office and Civil 
Service Subcommittee and which was unanimously adopted, addresses 
mailing problems faced by Elderhostel, an independent, nonprofit 
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 Association's 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 nonprofit institutions of learning.''
  The amendment I am offering to H.R. 2700 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 nonprofit 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, H.R. 2700, as amended, will solve a problem caused by 
the fact that Elderhostel doesn't fit neatly into the Postal Service's 
definitions and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and pass 
the bill.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment 
be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 5413) was agreed to.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
deemed read a third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and any statements relating to the bill be placed at the 
appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 2700) was deemed read the third time and passed.

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