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39 USC CHAPTER 1 - POSTAL POLICY AND DEFINITIONS 01/06/03

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TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 1 - POSTAL POLICY AND DEFINITIONS

-HEAD-

CHAPTER 1 - POSTAL POLICY AND DEFINITIONS

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Sec.

101. Postal policy.

102. Definitions.

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39 USC Sec. 101 01/06/03

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TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 1 - POSTAL POLICY AND DEFINITIONS

-HEAD-

Sec. 101. Postal policy

-STATUTE-

(a) The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic

and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of

the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by Act

of Congress, and supported by the people. The Postal Service shall

have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal

services to bind the Nation together through the personal,

educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people.

It shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to

patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all

communities. The costs of establishing and maintaining the Postal

Service shall not be apportioned to impair the overall value of

such service to the people.

(b) The Postal Service shall provide a maximum degree of

effective and regular postal services to rural areas, communities,

and small towns where post offices are not self-sustaining. No

small post office shall be closed solely for operating at a

deficit, it being the specific intent of the Congress that

effective postal services be insured to residents of both urban and

rural communities.

(c) As an employer, the Postal Service shall achieve and maintain

compensation for its officers and employees comparable to the rates

and types of compensation paid in the private sector of the economy

of the United States. It shall place particular emphasis upon

opportunities for career advancements of all officers and employees

and the achievement of worthwhile and satisfying careers in the

service of the United States.

(d) Postal rates shall be established to apportion the costs of

all postal operations to all users of the mail on a fair and

equitable basis.

(e) In determining all policies for postal services, the Postal

Service shall give the highest consideration to the requirement for

the most expeditious collection, transportation, and delivery of

important letter mail.

(f) In selecting modes of transportation, the Postal Service

shall give highest consideration to the prompt and economical

delivery of all mail and shall make a fair and equitable

distribution of mail business to carriers providing similar modes

of transportation services to the Postal Service. Modern methods of

transporting mail by containerization and programs designed to

achieve overnight transportation to the destination of important

letter mail to all parts of the Nation shall be a primary goal of

postal operations.

(g) In planning and building new postal facilities, the Postal

Service shall emphasize the need for facilities and equipment

designed to create desirable working conditions for its officers

and employees, a maximum degree of convenience for efficient postal

services, proper access to existing and future air and surface

transportation facilities, and control of costs to the Postal

Service.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 719.)

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EFFECTIVE DATE

Section effective Jan. 20, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71-10

of the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set

out as a note preceding this section.

SHORT TITLE OF 2002 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 107-206, title III, Sec. 3002(a), Aug. 2, 2002, 116 Stat.

910, provided that: "This title [amending section 5402 of this

title, section 2703 of Title 19, Customs Duties, section 1626 of

Title 43, Public Lands, and section 41901 of Title 49,

Transportation, and enacting provisions set out as notes under

section 5402 of this title, section 112 of Title 1, General

Provisions, and sections 2703 and 3203 of Title 19] may be cited as

the 'Rural Service Improvement Act of 2002'."

SHORT TITLE OF 2001 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 107-67, title VI, Sec. 650(a), Nov. 12, 2001, 115 Stat.

556, provided that: "This section [amending section 414 of this

title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 414

of this title] may be cited as the 'Breast Cancer Research Stamp

Act of 2001'."

SHORT TITLE OF 2000 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 106-253, Sec. 1, July 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 634, provided

that: "This Act [enacting section 416 of this title, amending

section 414 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes

under sections 414 and 416 of this title] may be cited as the

'Semipostal Authorization Act'."

SHORT TITLE OF 1998 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 105-241, Sec. 1, Sept. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 1572, provided

that: "This Act [enacting section 415 of this title and amending

sections 404 and 3622 of this title, section 7902 of Title 5,

Government Organization and Employees, and sections 652 and 668 of

Title 29, Labor] may be cited as the 'Postal Employees Safety

Enhancement Act'."

SHORT TITLE OF 1997 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 105-41, Sec. 1, Aug. 13, 1997, 111 Stat. 1119, provided

that: "This Act [enacting section 414 of this title and provisions

set out as a note under section 414 of this title] may be cited as

the 'Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act'."

SHORT TITLE OF 1993 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 103-123, title VII, Sec. 701(a), Oct. 28, 1993, 107 Stat.

1267, provided that: "This title [enacting section 3642 of this

title, amending sections 410, 2401, 3202, 3601, 3625 to 3627, and

3683 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under

sections 2401, 3621, 3626, and 3683 of this title] may be cited as

the 'Revenue Forgone Reform Act'."

SHORT TITLE OF 1976 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 94-421, Sec. 1, Sept. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 1303, provided:

"That this Act [amending sections 404, 2003, 2401, 3601, 3604,

3622, 3623, 3624, 3626, 3641, and 3683 of this title, and enacting

provisions set out as notes under sections 404, 3601, 3624, 3641,

and 3661 of this title] may be cited as the 'Postal Reorganization

Act Amendments of 1976'."

SHORT TITLE

Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 1, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 719, provided:

"That this Act [revising this title, enacting sections 1735 to 1737

of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, amending section 356 of

Title 2, The Congress, section 19 of Title 3, The President,

sections 101, 104, 2104, 2105, 3104, 3304a, 4301, 5102, 5303, 5304,

5312, 5314 to 5316, 5541, 6301, 6323, 7101, and 8344 of Title 5,

Government Organization and Employees, sections 24 seventh par.,

1701d-3, and 1701e of Title 12, Banks and Banking, section 637 of

Title 15, Commerce and Trade, section 460l-1 of Title 16,

Conservation, section 8 of former Title 17, Copyrights, sections

12, 440, 441, 500, 501, 612, 876, 877, 1114, 1303, 1341, 1342,

1463, 1696, 1699, 1703, 1704, 1707, 1709 to 1713, 1715, 1716,

1716A, 1717, 1718, 1721 to 1725, 1729, 1730, 1733, and 3061 of

Title 18, section 611 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and

Intercourse, sections 72 fifth par., 129, and 724a of former Title

31, Money and Finance, sections 356, 474, 615, 723, and 724 of

former Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, and section

2942 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, repealing section

3327 of Title 5 and section 1028 of former Title 31, and enacting

provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 201,

601, 1001, 1003, 1201, 2002, 2004, 3010, and 3621 of this title]

may be cited as the 'Postal Reorganization Act'."

-SECREF-

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in sections 404, 1003, 2401, 5001 of

this title.

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39 USC Sec. 102 01/06/03

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TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 1 - POSTAL POLICY AND DEFINITIONS

-HEAD-

Sec. 102. Definitions

-STATUTE-

As used in this title -

(1) "Postal Service" means the United States Postal Service

established by section 201 of this title;

(2) "Board of Governors", and "Board", unless the context

otherwise requires, mean the Board of Governors established under

section 202 of this title;

(3) "Governors" means the 9 members of the Board of Governors

appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of

the Senate, under section 202(a) of this title; and

(4) "Inspector General" means the Inspector General appointed

under section 202(e) of this title.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 720; Pub. L. 104-208, div.

A, title I, Sec. 101(f) [title VI, Sec. 662(a)(2)], Sept. 30, 1996,

110 Stat. 3009-314, 3009-379.)

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AMENDMENTS

1996 - Par. (4). Pub. L. 104-208 added par. (4).

EFFECTIVE DATE

Section effective July 1, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71-9

of the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set

out as a note preceding section 101 of this title.

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