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39 U.S.C. § 3218 — Franked mail for survivors of Members of Congress
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Upon the death of a Member of Congress during his term of office, the surviving spouse of such Member (or, if there is no surviving spouse, a member of the immediate family of the Member designated by the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives, as appropriate, in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Secretary or the Clerk) may send, for a period not to exceed 180 days after his death, as franked mail, nonpolitical correspondence relating to the death of the Member.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 39 U.S.C. § 3218
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Stable record: federal_law:legal_authorities:record_usc_1eee4030b2ee5d207373bc35
Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-39/section-3218-franked-mail-for-survivors-of-members-of-congress--12e80e8921.md
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Passage SHA-256: 42b47ed95d5d0d2bf7033ed5089da7b134819f2861029bc0159abafcf4f8eed1
Source location: Title 39, Chapter 32, § 3218; chapter-032-penalty-and-franked-mail.md
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Upon the death of a Member of Congress during his term of office, the surviving spouse of such Member (or, if there is no surviving spouse, a member of the immediate family of the Member designated by the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives, as appropriate, in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Secretary or the Clerk) may send, for a period not to exceed 180 days after his death, as franked mail, nonpolitical correspondence relating to the death of the Member.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)**
(1) It is the policy of the Congress that the privilege of sending mail as franked mail shall be established under this section in order to assist and expedite the conduct of the official business, activities, and duties of the Congress of the United States.
(2) It is the intent of the Congress that such official business, activities, and duties cover all matters which directly or indirectly pertain to the legislative process or to any congressional representative functions generally, or to the functioning, working, or operating of the Congress and the performance of official duties in connection therewith, and shall include, but not be limited to, the conveying of information to the public, and the requesting of the views of the public, or the views and information of other authority of government, as a guide or a means of assistance in the performance of those functions.
(3) It is the intent of the Congress that mail matter which is frankable specifically includes, but is not limited to—
(A) mail matter to any person and to all agencies and officials of Federal, State, and local governments regarding programs, decisions, and other related matters of public concern or public service, including any matter relating to actions of a past or current Congress;
(B) the usual and customary congressional newsletter or press release which may deal with such matters as the impact of laws and decisions on State and local governments and individual citizens; reports on public and official actions taken by Members of Congress; and discussions of proposed or pending legislation or governmental actions and the positions of the Members of Congress on, and arguments for or against, such matters;
(C) the usual and customary congressional questionnaire seeking public o
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 39 U.S.C. § 3210
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(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 maintain an integrated network for the delivery of market-dominant and competitive products (as defined in chapter 36 of this title). Delivery shall occur at least six days a week, except during weeks that include a Federal holiday, in emergency situations, such as natural disasters, or in geographic areas where the Postal Service has established a policy of delivering mail fewer than six days a week as of the date of enactment of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. 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 pa
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 39 U.S.C. § 101
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Establishment; designation** There is established a special commission of the House of Representatives, designated the “House Communications Standards Commission” (herein referred to as the “Commission”).
**(b) Membership; political party representation; Chairman; vacancies; quorum** The Commission shall be composed of six Members appointed by the Speaker of the House, three from the majority political party, and three from the minority political party, in the House. The Speaker shall designate as Chairman of the Commission, from among the members of the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service of the House, one of the Members appointed to the Commission. A vacancy in the membership of the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Four members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum to do business.
**(c) Assistance and use of personnel, including chief counsel, of Committee on Post Office and Civil Service of the House** In performing its duties and functions, the Commission may use such personnel, office space, equipment, and facilities of, and obtain such other assistance from, the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service of the House, as such committee shall make available to the Commission. Such personnel and assistance shall include, in all cases, the services and assistance of the chief counsel or other head of the professional staff (by whatever title designated) of such committee. All assistance so furnished to the Commission by the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service shall be sufficient to enable the Commission to perform its duties and functions efficiently and effectively.
**(d) Advisory opinions or consultations respecting franked mail for persons entitled to franking privilege; franking privilege regu
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 2 U.S.C. § 501
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** The equivalent of—
(1) postage on, and fees and charges in connection with, mail matter sent through the mails—
(A) under the franking privilege (other than under [section 3219 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title39-section3219&num=0&edition=prelim)), by the Vice President, Members of and Members-elect to Congress, the Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, each of the elected officers of the House of Representatives (other than a Member of the House), the Legislative Counsels of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives, and the Senate Legal Counsel; and
(B) by the survivors of a Member of Congress under [section 3218 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title39-section3218&num=0&edition=prelim); and
(2) those portions of fees and charges to be paid for handling and delivery by the Postal Service of Mailgrams considered as franked mail under [section 3219 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title39-section3219&num=0&edition=prelim);
shall be paid by appropriations for the official mail costs of the Senate and the House of Representatives for that purpose and then paid to the Postal Service as postal revenue. Except as to Mailgrams and except as provided by sections 733 and 907 of title 44, envelopes, wrappers, cards, or labels used to transmit franked mail shall bear, in the upper right-hand corner, the sender’s signature, or a facsimile thereof.
**(b)** Postage on, and fees and charges in connection with, mail matter sent through the mails under [section 3214 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title39-sectio
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 39 U.S.C. § 3216
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 95
TITLE 39—POSTAL SERVICE
§ 3218
bered
§ 316(b),
Pub.
L.
101–520,
title
III,
§ 311(h)(3)(B), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2280; Pub. L.
102–90, title III, § 306, Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 466;
Pub. L. 104–186, title II, § 220, Aug. 20, 1996, 110
Stat. 1748; Pub. L. 116–260, div. I, title I,
§ 116(b)(2)(A)(ii), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1637.)
Editorial Notes
AMENDMENTS
2020—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–260 substituted ‘‘House
Communications Standards Commission’’ for ‘‘House
Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards’’
wherever appearing.
1996—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104–186 substituted ‘‘Chief
Administrative Officer of the House of Representa-
tives’’ for ‘‘Clerk of the House’’ in pars. (1) and (2) and
‘‘House Oversight’’ for ‘‘House Administration’’ in two
places in par. (2).
1991—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 102–90 substituted ‘‘para-
graph (1) of this subsection’’ for ‘‘subsection (1) of this
section’’ in two places.
1990—Pub. L. 101–520 made technical amendment to
Pub. L. 101–163, § 316(b). See 1989 Amendment note
below.
1989—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–163, § 316(b), formerly
§ 316(c), as renumbered by Pub. L. 101–520, which di-
rected substitution of ‘‘by appropriations for the offi-
cial mail costs of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives’’ for ‘‘by a lump sum appropriation to the
legislative branch’’ was executed by making the substi-
tution for ‘‘by a lump-sum appropriation to the legisla-
tive branch’’ to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101–163, § 317, added subsec. (e).
1982—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 97–263 inserted ref-
erence to Law Revision Counsel of House of Represent-
atives.
1981—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 97–69 substituted ‘‘sur-
vivors’’ for ‘‘surviving spouse’’.
1978—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub.
Source: Supplied 2024 U.S. Code historical extraction · 39 U.S.C. § 3218
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