Postal Service Files Request for PRC Advisory Opinion on Operational Improvements and Corresponding Refinements Within the Current Service Standards

Barnes & Noble, Inc. announced a $1 million book donation to First Book for areas affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The donation features thousands of children’s books for a variety of ages including chapter books, board books, picture books, and coloring books, and will be delivered by First Book to schools and local charities in both Texas and Florida. The donation underscores Barnes & Noble’s support of First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that has distributed more than 170 million books and resources to kids in need – including a focused effort providing books to children affected by natural disasters. Click Read More below for additional detail.

The Postal Service had adjusted loss of $459 million for the quarter, compared to an adjusted loss of $41 million for the same quarter last year. Adjusted loss excludes the impact of the PSRA, retiree health benefits expense, non-cash workers' compensation adjustments for the impacts of actuarial revaluation and discount rate changes, which are outside of management's control, and amortization expenses for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) unfunded liabilities. On a U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis, the Postal Service had net income of $59.7 billion for the quarter, compared to net loss of $3.0 billion for the same quarter last year, due almost exclusively to the non-cash impact of the PSRA. Marketing Mail revenue increased $324 million, or 9.4 percent, compared to the same quarter last year, on volume growth of 545 million pieces, or 3.5 percent. First-Class Mail revenue was essentially flat, compared to the same quarter last year, despite a volume decline of 620 million pieces, or 5.1 percent. Shipping and Packages revenue decreased $85 million, or 1.1 percent, compared to the same quarter last year, on a volume decline of 92 million pieces, or 5.0 percent, compared to the same quarter last year.

Monday a broad coalition including Texas bookstores, national booksellers, authors and publishers filed an appellate brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, requesting that it affirm the preliminary injunction of the “Reader Act” (formerly HB 900) granted by Judge Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. The Reader Act would require independent bookstores, national chain bookstores, large online book retailers, book publishers and other vendors to review and rate millions of books and other library materials according to sexual content if those books are sold to school libraries, and to do so according to vague labels dictated by the state without any process for judicial review. On September 18th of this year, Judge Albright issued a written opinion granting a preliminary injunction, ruling that the Act “likely violates the First Amendment by containing an unconstitutional prior restraint, compelled speech, and unconstitutional vagueness.” The State defendants filed an appeal later that day. Oral argument is scheduled for Wednesday, November 29th.