An act to establish dispute resolution procedures to settle disputes between supervisors and the United States Postal Service.
Public Law 96-326 · H.R. 827 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 8, 1980 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Charles Wilson (D-CA-31)
Cosponsors (39): Rep. John Anderson, Rep. Jack Brinkley,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Directs the United States Postal Service and any organization representing a majority of the Postal Service supervisors: (1) to meet at least once a month for consultations and to enable the organization to participate in the development of pay policies, fringe benefit programs, and other programs affecting the supervisors; and (2) at least seven days before each meeting, to provide notice of agenda items and planned proposals concerning such items.
Requires the Postal Service: (1) to provide the supervisors' organization with a written description of any proposed program and any decision to implement the program; (2) to give the organization a specified period to make recommendations with respect to the program; (3) to give such recommendations full consideration; (4) to provide for the further participation of the organization in the development of an implemented program; and (5) to give the organization access to information to make such participation productive.
Requires the Postal Service: (1) within 45 days after the adoption of a collective bargaining agreement between the Postal Service and its employees, to make a proposal for changes in the pay policies and fringe benefits for members of the supervisors' organization; and (2) to make a decision concerning such changes within 90 days following the submission of the proposal.
Allows the supervisors' organization to request the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) to convene a factfinding panel concerning any such decision with which the organization disagrees. Sets forth the procedure for appointing the panel members. Directs the panel to make its recommendations concerning the differences between the Postal Service and the organization within 30 days after its appointment. Requires the Postal Service to consider such recommendations and to explain any differences between such recommendations and its final decision.
Permits the Postal Service or the organization, not earlier than three years after enactment of this Act, to request the FMCS to convene a panel to review (1) the procedures and other provisions of this Act, and (2) the employment policy of the Postal Service. Directs the panel to recommend to Congress such changes in title 39 of the U.S. Code (Postal Service) as it finds appropriate.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Aug 8, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-326.
- Aug 1, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jul 31, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Jul 25, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Jul 16, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jul 12, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jul 10, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #307 (306-94).House roll call 307
- Jul 9, 1979FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 5, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jan 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.