116 STAT. 922 PUBLIC LAW 107-206—AUG. 2, 2002 "(2) A carrier shall be tendered nonpriority bypass mail under subsection (i) if that carrier— "(A) was qualified under both subsections (h) and (i) simultaneously; and "(B) becomes unqualified under subsection (h) but remains qualified under subsection (i). "(n)(l) A carrier operation resulting from a merger or acquisition between any 2 carriers operating between points in the State of Alaska shall have the passenger and nonmail freight of all such merged or acquired carriers on the applicable route counted toward meeting the resulting carrier's minimum requirements to receive equitable tender of nonpriority bypass mail on such route for the 12-month period following the date of the merger or acquisition. "(2) After the 12-month period described under paragraph (1), the carrier resulting from the merger or acquisition shall demonstrate that the carrier meets the minimum passenger or nonmail freight carriage requirements of this section to continue receiving tender of such mail. "(o) In addition to any penalties applied to a carrier by the Federal Aviation Administration or the Secretary, any carrier that significantly misstates passenger or nonmail freight data required to be reported under this section on any route, in an attempt to qualify for tender of nonpriority bypass mail, shall receive— "(1) a 1-month suspension of tender of nonpriority bypass mail on the route where the data was misstated for the first offense; "(2) a 6-month suspension of tender of nonpriority bypass mail on the route where the data was misstated for the second offense; "(3) a 1-year suspension of tender of all nonpriority bypass mail in the entire State of Alaska for the third offense in the State; and "(4) a permanent suspension of tender of all nonpriority bypass mail in the entire State of Alaska for the fourth offense in the State. "(p)(l) The Postal Service or the Secretary, in carrying out subsection (g)(2), (h), or (i), may deny equitable tender to an otherwise qualified carrier that does not operate under this section in good faith or under the intent of this section. "(2) The Postal Service or the Secretary may waive any provision of subsection (h) or (i), if the carrier provides substantial passenger or nonmail freight service on the route in the State of Alaska where the carrier seeks tender of nonpriority mail and nonpriority bypass mail, "(3) To ensure adequate competition among passenger carriers on a mainline route in the State of Alaska the Postal Service or the Secretary may waive the requirements of subsection (g)(1)(D), (g)(2)(E), (g)(4), or (g)(5), or any provision of subsection (h) if a 121 bush passenger carrier seeks tender of nonpriority bypass mail on a mainline route in the State of Alaska not served by a 121 mainline passenger carrier and the 121 bush passenger carrier provides substantial passenger service on the route. Waivers provided for under this paragraph shall be granted only in extreme cases of lack of competition and only to extent that are absolutely necessary to meet the minimum needs of the community. Waivers granted under this subsection shall cease to be valid once a qualified
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