[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 124 (Friday, October 6, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S10114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           REDUCED RATE MAIL

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 917, S. 2686.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2686) to amend chapter 36 of title 39, United 
     States Code, to modify rates relating to reduced rate mail 
     matter, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in 
the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2686) was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2686

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

     SECTION 1. SPECIAL RATEMAKING PROVISIONS.

       (a) Establishment of Regular Rates for Mail Classes With 
     Certain Preferred Subclasses.--Section 3622 of title 39, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Regular rates for each class or subclass of mail that 
     includes 1 or more special rate categories for mail under 
     former section 4358 (d) or (e), 4452 (b) or (c), or 4554 (b) 
     or (c) of this title shall be established by applying the 
     policies of this title, including the factors of section 
     3622(b) of this title, to the costs attributable to the 
     regular rate mail in each class or subclass combined with the 
     mail in the corresponding special rate categories authorized 
     by former section 4358 (d) or (e), 4452 (b) or (c), or 4554 
     (b) or (c) of this title.''.
       (b) Residual Rule for Preferred Periodical Mail.--Section 
     3626(a)(3)(A) of title 39, United States Code, is amended to 
     read as follows:
       ``(3)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (4) or (5), rates 
     of postage for a class of mail or kind of mailer under former 
     section 4358 of this title shall be established in a manner 
     such that the estimated revenues to be received by the Postal 
     Service from such class of mail or kind of mailer shall be 
     equal to the sum of--
       ``(i) the estimated costs attributable to such class of 
     mail or kind of mailer; and
       ``(ii) the product derived by multiplying the estimated 
     costs referred to in clause (i) by the applicable percentage 
     under subparagraph (B).''.
       (c) Special Rule for Nonprofit and Classroom Periodicals.--
     Section 3626(a)(4) of title 39, United States Code, is 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(4)(A) Except as specified in subparagraph (B), rates of 
     postage for a class of mail or kind of mailer under former 
     section 4358 (d) or (e) of this title shall be established so 
     that postage on each mailing of such mail shall be as nearly 
     as practicable 5 percent lower than the postage for a 
     corresponding regular-rate category mailing.
       ``(B) With respect to the postage for the advertising pound 
     portion of any mail matter under former section 4358 (d) or 
     (e) of this title, the 5-percent discount specified in 
     subparagraph (A) shall not apply if the advertising portion 
     exceeds 10 percent of the publication involved.''.
       (d) Special Rule for Nonprofit Standard (A) Mail.--Section 
     3626(a) of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(6) The rates for mail matter under former sections 4452 
     (b) and (c) of this title shall be established as follows:
       ``(A) The estimated average revenue per piece to be 
     received by the Postal Service from each subclass of mail 
     under former sections 4452 (b) and (c) of this title shall be 
     equal, as nearly as practicable, to 60 percent of the 
     estimated average revenue per piece to be received from the 
     most closely corresponding regular-rate subclass of mail.
       ``(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the estimated 
     average revenue per piece of each regular-rate subclass shall 
     be calculated on the basis of expected volumes and mix of 
     mail for such subclass at current rates in the test year of 
     the proceeding.
       ``(C) Rate differentials within each subclass of mail 
     matter under former sections 4452 (b) and (c) shall reflect 
     the policies of this title, including the factors set forth 
     in section 3622(b) of this title.''.
       (e) Special Rule for Library and Educational Matter.--
     Section 3626(a) of title 39, United States Code, as amended 
     by subsection (d) of this section, is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:
       ``(7) The rates for mail matter under former sections 4554 
     (b) and (c) of this title shall be established so that 
     postage on each mailing of such mail shall be as nearly as 
     practicable 5 percent lower than the postage for a 
     corresponding regular-rate mailing.''.

     SEC. 2. TRANSITIONAL AND TECHNICAL PROVISIONS.

       (a) Transitional Provision for Nonprofit Standard (A) 
     Mail.--In any proceeding in which rates are to be established 
     under chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, for mail 
     matter under former sections 4452 (b) and (c) of that title, 
     pending as of the date of enactment of section 1 of this Act, 
     the estimated reduction in postal revenue from such mail 
     matter caused by the enactment of section 3626(a)(6)(A) of 
     that title, if any, shall be treated as a reasonably 
     assignable cost of the Postal Service under section 
     3622(b)(3) of that title.
       (b) Technical Amendment.--Section 3626(a)(1) of title 39, 
     United States Code, is amended by striking ``4454(b), or 
     4454(c)'' and inserting ``4554(b), or 4554(c)''.

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