
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 39USC3204]

 
                        TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
 
                          PART IV--MAIL MATTER
 
                  CHAPTER 32--PENALTY AND FRANKED MAIL
 
Sec. 3204. Restrictions on use of penalty mail

    (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section or section 3220 of 
this title, an officer, executive department, or independent 
establishment of the Government of the United States may not mail, as 
penalty mail, any article or document unless--
        (1) a request therefor has been previously received by the 
    department or establishment; or
        (2) its mailings is required by law.

    (b) Subsection (a) of this section does not prohibit the mailing, as 
penalty mail, by an officer, executive department, or independent agency 
of--
        (1) enclosures reasonably related to the subject matter of 
    official correspondence;
        (2) informational releases relating to the census of the United 
    States and authorized by title 13;
        (3) matter concerning the sale of Government securities;
        (4) forms, blanks, and copies of statutes, rules, regulations, 
    instructions, administrative orders, and interpretations necessary 
    in the administration of the department or establishment;
        (5) agricultural bulletins;
        (6) lists of public documents offered for sale by the 
    Superintendent of Documents;
        (7) announcements of the publication of maps, atlases, and 
    statistical and other reports offered for sale by the Federal Power 
    Commission as authorized by section 825k of title 16; or
        (8) articles or documents to educational institutions or public 
    libraries, or to Federal, State, or other public authorities.

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 752; Pub. L. 99-87, 
Sec. 1(c)(1), Aug. 9, 1985, 99 Stat. 291.)

                          Amendment of Section

        For termination of amendment by section 5 of Pub. L. 99-87, see 
    Termination Date of 1985 Amendment note below.


                               Amendments

    1985--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99-87 temporarily inserted reference to 
section 3220(a) of this title. See Termination Date of 1985 Amendment 
note below.


                   Termination Date of 1985 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 99-87 not effective after Dec. 31, 2002, see 
section 5 of Pub. L. 99-87, as amended, set out as a Termination Date 
note under section 3220 of this title.

                          Transfer of Functions

    Federal Power Commission terminated and its functions, personnel, 
property, funds, etc., transferred to Secretary of Energy (except for 
certain functions transferred to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) 
by sections 7151(b), 7171(a), 7172(a), 7291, and 7293 of Title 42, The 
Public Health and Welfare.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in title 12 section 1701z-2; title 15 
section 637; title 16 section 460l-1; title 29 sections 1708, 2900; 
title 42 section 12651d.
