The Postal Regulatory Commission will hold a public field hearing in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Thursday, June 19, 2008, at 2 p.m. to solicit views relating to the universal service obligation of the U.S. Postal Service and the postal monopoly. The hearing will be in the Eileen Dondero Foley Council Chambers, City Hall, Municipal Complex, 1 Junkins Avenue, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA) requires the Commission to report to the President and Congress by December 19, 2008, on universal postal service and the postal monopoly in the United States, including the monopoly on mail delivery and access to mailboxes. In addition to consulting with the Postal Service and other federal agencies, the Commission is directed to hear from commercial mailers, postal service competitors, and the general public. Congress mandates that the report focus on: geographic scope; product offerings; access to facilities and services; the frequency of delivery, rates and affordability, and quality of services.

The Portsmouth hearing will be the third public hearing held outside of Washington, D.C. Hearings have been held in Flagstaff, Arizona, and St. Paul, Minnesota, on May 21 and June 5, 2008, respectively. The Commission also held a public workshop on June 12, at the Commission's hearing room. A fourth hearing is scheduled during the week of July 7, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

"Congress tasked the Commission with providing a comprehensive review of the universal service obligation and the postal monopoly. Our hearings are eliciting views of the public's expectations for the American postal system," said Commission Chairman Dan G. Blair. "These hearings and the public workshop contribute greatly to our universal service obligation and postal monopoly study."

All hearing testimony, hearing transcriptions, and replies to the Commission's notice for public comment will be available on the Commission's website at www.prc.gov, under Docket No. PI2008-3.

The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: Jamie Trowbridge, President, Yankee Publishing, Inc., Dublin, NH; Liz Robert, President, The Vermont Teddy Bear Co., Shelburne, VT; Jean Schnell, Postmaster, Monhegan, ME; Steve Smith, Director of Distribution, Christian Science Publishing Society, Boston, MA; Laura A. Timmons, Area Marketing Manager, Northeast Area, U.S. Postal Service; Richard Moses, Letter Carrier, Boston, MA; Jody Berenblatt, Senior Vice President, Postal Strategy, Bank of America, New York; and Tom Underkoffler, Director, Corporate Logistics, Medco Health Solutions, Inc., Franklin Lakes, NJ.

Please contact Ann Fisher (202) 789-6800 or Ann.Fisher@prc.gov for further information