PRC Chairman Michael M. Kubayanda confirmed to a second term

Jan 1, 2022

Postal policy advanced in the Congress in December but without action on the Postal Service Reform Act, which has not yet reached the House floor.

The House Ways and Means Committee, which had held up action on PSRA for more than a year to review the impact of additional costs for the Medicare trust fund, released its hold in December to help leadership set up possible floor action. The PRSA would potentially save mailers about 1.5% in postage rate increases that have been implemented to cover USPS retiree health benefit costs. It also contains a section that would allow newspaper mailers to send more copies to nonsubscribers as part of circulation marketing campaigns.

The Senate restored the Postal Regulatory Commission to its full complement again by confirming Chairman Michael M. Kubayanda to a second term ending November 22, 2026. The Commission operated with only four members for a short period when Senate confirmations were stalled.

The USPS Board of Governors was awaiting confirmation of two new appointments by President Biden. Biden named Dan Tangherlini, a former General Services Administration head, and Derek Kan, former deputy director to the Office of Management and Budget. The nominees would take the seats of Governors Chair Ron Bloom and John Barger, whose terms have now expired. The board recently has seen some conflict over the election of its chair, as Bloom was renominated despite the fact that his reappointment was in doubt. Vice chair Roman Martinez IV now leads the board until a new chair is elected. The Board has primary responsibility for setting postage rates.