HEARINGS BEFORE A 4.3. Compress, House SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTIETH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 4953 and H. R. 5846 BILLS TO CREATE THE BOARD OF POSTAL RATES 70588 PART 2 FEBRUARY 16 AND 17, 1948. Printed for the use of the UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1948 4 7 45 SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE KATHARINE ST. GEORGE, New York, Chairman HOMER R. JONES, Washington TOM MURRAY, Tennessee nak 5/2/50 •A53 CONTENTS Statement of Anderson, Ed M., chairman, legislative committee, National Editorial Barber, Hartman, general representative, Brotherhood of Railway Page Barnett, Paul W., chairman, postal affairs committee, American Connelly, Peter, Assistant Solicitor, Post Office Department_ O'Connor, John, chairman, National Postal Committee for Books.... National Council on Business Mail.. Pratt, Francis D., the National Association of Magazine Publishers.. Smart, Elizabeth A., national director, bureau of legislation, National Sweet, Charles E., a director of the Agricultural Publishers Associa- Teich, Curt, Jr., Curt Teich & Co., Inc. White, Joseph A., National Retail Credit Association. 65 79 III 96 61 78 50 94 90 80 POSTAL RATE-MAKING PROCEDURE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1948 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10: 10 a. m., in room 215, Old House Office Building, Hon. Katharine St. George presiding. Present: Representatives St. George (presiding) and Murray. Also present: Frederick C. Belen, counsel for the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service. In further consideration of postal rate-making procedures (H. R. 4953). Mrs. ST. GEORGE. Mr. Jones, unfortunately, is in the hospital this morning and will not be able to be with us. I think that since we are just hearing testimony, and that there is no vote, Mr. Murray and I will proceed with the business at hand. We have quite a few witnesses, and we do not have too much time. Under the authority of Resolution 176, a subcommittee was appointed to consider the rate-making procedure for the Post Office Department, and the hearings were held on this subject. As a result, the subcommittee requested that legislation be introduced which would create a Board of Postal Rates and Fees in the Post Office Department. Legislation incorporating the views of the subcommittee, based upon testimony received at these hearings, is before us today in the form of H. R. 4953. Generally, this bill would provide for the establishment of a three-member, bipartisan Board in the Post Office Department. It would be the responsibility of this Board to recommend annually to the Congress rates for postal mail and services. These rates would become effective if the Congress did not disapprove them by means of a concurrent resolution. Any resolution disapproving rates recommended by the Board would be a highly privileged resolution. The procedure for disapproving such recommendations of the Board is similar to that now in effect in disapproving reorganization plans. It was the view of the subcommittee which recommended the introduction of this legislation that a form should be provided wherein differences in cost ascertainment, technical rate revisions, or additions could be resolved. It is believed that this measure will be a means of improving the postal-rate structure, and at the same time retain close congressional control on postage rates. At the hearing on this measure, we expect to obtain the views of the Post Office Department and the large users of the mail on this specific proposal. I am going to call upon Mr. Peter Connelly, Assistant Solicitor of the Post Office Department, who will present the statement of the Postmaster General on this legislation. Mr. Connelly. 49 |