Act Amendments of 1976, (90 Stat. 1303), approved September 24, 1976. The Postal Rate Commission promulgates rules and regulations and establishes procedures and takes other actions necessary to carry out its functions and obligations. Acting upon requests from the U.S. Postal Service, or on its own initiative, the Commission recommends to the Board of Governors, U.S. Postal Service, changes in rates or fees in each class of mail or type of service. It submits recommended decisions on establishing or changing the mail classification schedule, and holds such hearings on the record as are required by law and are necessary to arrive at sound and fair recommendations. The Commission has appellate jurisdiction to review Postal Service determinations to close or consolidate small post offices. Sources of Information RULES OF PRACTICE AND The Postal Rate Commission's Rules of conduct of proceedings before the Commission may be found in part 3001 of title 39 of the Code of Federal Regulations (39 CFR 3001). PUBLIC READING ROOM Facilities for inspection and copying of records that are available to the public are located in Room 500, 2000 L Street NW., Washington, D.C. The room is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. EMPLOYMENT The Commission's programs require attorneys, economists, statisticians, accountants, industrial engineers, marketing specialists, and administrative and clerical personnel. Requests for employment information should be directed to the Chief Administrative Officer. For further information, contact the Secretary, Postal Rate Commission, 2000 L Street NW. Washington, D.C. 20268. Phone, 202-2543880. RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 844 Rush Street, Chicago, III. 60611 Phone, 312-751-4500 Washington Liaison Office: Room 444, 425 Thirteenth Street NW., 20004 The Railroad Retirement Board administers retirement-survivor and unemploy ment-sickness benefit programs provided by Federal laws for the Nation's railroad workers and their families. Under the Railroad Retirement Act, annuities are paid by the Board to rail employees with at least 10 years of service who retire because of age or disability and to their eligible wives. When other requirements are met, annuities are also provided to the surviving widows and children or parents of deceased employees. These retirement-survivor benefit programs are closely coordinated with social security benefit programs and include Medicare health insurance coverage. Under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, biweekly benefits are payable by the Board to workers with qualifying railroad earnings who become unemployed or sick. About 100 field offices are maintained across the country. The Railroad Retirement Board administers the Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Acts and participates in the administration of the Social Security Act and the Health Insurance for the Aged Act insofar as it affects railroad retirement beneficiaries. The Board was established by the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935, approved August 29, 1935 (49 Stat. 967, as amended; 45 U.S.C. 215-228). It now derives statutory authority from the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, approved October 16, 1974 (88 Stat. 1305, as amended; 45 U.S.C. 231231t). The Board also derives authority from the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, approved June 25, 1938 (52 Stat. 1094, as amended; 45 U.S.C. 351-367). The Board is composed of three members appointed by the President by and with the advice of the Senateone upon recommendations of representatives of employees, one upon recommendations of carriers, and one, the Chairman, as a public member. FIELD ORGANIZATION claimants for sickness benefits file their claims by mail with the Bureau of Unemployment and Sickness Insurance. Claims for benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act are received in all field offices as well as at headquarters. ACTIVITIES The Railroad Retirement Act provides for the payment of annuities to individuals who have completed at least 10 years creditable service and have ceased compensated service upon their attainment of specified ages or at any age if permanently disabled for all employment. In some circumstances occupational disability annuities or supplemental annuities are provided for longer term, or career, employees. A spouse's annuity is provided, under certain conditions, for the wife or dependent husband of an employee annuitant. Survivor annuities are awarded to the qualified widows, children and dependent widowers or parents, of deceased career cmployees. Two distinct lump sum benefits are provided in certain circumstances; for one of these there are no service requirements and the beneficiary may be designated by the employee. The Board maintains field offices located in centers of railroad population which are grouped into five regions, The Railroad Retirement Act proeach under a regional director report- vides for extensive coordination with ing directly to the Chief Executive Of- the Social Security Act in the computaficer. Claimants for unemployment tion, payment, and financing of railbenefits register with designated em- road retirement annuities. Annuitants ployees of covered employers, and and members of their families also [For the Renegotiation Board statement of organization, see Code of Federal Regulations, Title 32, Part 1421, Subchapter C] The Renegotiation Board seeks the elimination of excessive profits on defense and space contracts and related subcontracts. This is accomplished through informal and nonadversary proceedings before the Board and its regional boards. Contractors not agreeing with Board determinations may petition the Court of Claims for redetermination. Regional Boards-Renegotiation Board Area WESTERN-Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. Members Starley D. Broselow, Chairman; EASTERN-All the remaining States and the District of Ralph A. Johnson, Chairman; Address Los Angeles World Trade Center. 350 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90071. 2000 M St. NW., Washington, D.C. 20447. The Renegotiation Board was created as an independent establishment in the executive branch by the Renegotiation Act of 1951 (65 Stat. 7; 50 U.S.C. App. 1211) and was organized on October 8, 1951. ACTIVITIES The Renegotiation Act of 1951 is applicable to contracts with the following departments and agencies of the Government, and to related subcontracts: the Departments of Defense, Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Maritime Administration, the General Services Administration, the Atomic Energy Commission,1 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Federal Aviation Administration. A report must be filed with the Board by every contractor whose receipts or accruals from renegotiable prime contracts and subcontracts, on a fiscal year basis, exceed the minimum amount of $1 million prescribed in the act, but a report may be filed by any other contractor having renegotiable business. The reports are examined at the headquarters office and must be acted upon within 1 year of receipt of an acceptable filing. Filings which show aggregate renegotiable sales below the statutory "floor" are reviewed to determine their acceptability. In case of above-the-floor filings, if the profits are obviously nonexcessive, notices of a clearance without assignments are usually issued to contractors. Filings not disposed of in this manner are assigned to the regional boards, 1 Or its successor agencies. usually on a geographical basis, for full-scale renegotiation. The Board has delegated to the regional boards final authority to issue letters not to proceed, to issue clearances, or to make refund agreements in cases involving aggregate renegotiable profits of $800,000 or less (Class B cases). If, in a Class B refund case, the contractor declines to enter into an agreement, the regional board makes a recommendation with respect to the amount of excessive profits realized, and the case is reassigned to the Board for further proceedings. In cases involving renegotiable profits of more than $800,000 (Class A cases), the regional boards do not have any final authority; their function is limited to the making of recommendations to the Board for the final disposition of the cases. Thereupon the cases are reassigned to the Board for further proceedings. If, after such proceedings, the Board and the contractor are unable to agree on the amount of excessive profits to be refunded by the contractor, the Board issues an order determining such amount. The contractor may petition the Court of Claims for a redetermination of such order. The decision of the court is subject to review by the Supreme Court, upon certiorari. The Board maintains liaison with the various agencies whose contracts are subject to the act, and with the Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service, and other agencies whose jurisdiction or activities relate to the functions of the Board. The |