
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 39USC3642]

 
                        TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
 
                          PART IV--MAIL MATTER
 
             CHAPTER 36--POSTAL RATES, CLASSES, AND SERVICES
 
               SUBCHAPTER III--TEMPORARY RATES AND CLASSES
 
Sec. 3642. Special authority relating to reduced-rate categories 
        of mail
        
    (a) In order to permit the timely implementation of section 
3626(a)(3), the Postal Service may establish temporary rates of postage 
for any class of mail or kind of mailer referred to in section 
3626(a)(3)(A).
    (b) Any exercise of authority under this section shall be in 
conformance with the requirements of section 3626(a), subject to the 
following:
        (1) All attributable costs and institutional-costs contributions 
    assumed shall be the same as those which were assumed for purposes 
    of the then most recent proceedings under subchapter II pursuant to 
    which rates of postage for the class of mail or kind of mailer 
    involved were last adjusted.
        (2) Any temporary rate established under this section shall take 
    effect upon such date as the Postal Service may determine, except 
    that--
            (A) such a rate may take effect only after 10 days' notice 
        in the Federal Register; and
            (B) no such rate may take effect after September 30, 1998.

        (3) A temporary rate under this section may remain in effect no 
    longer than the last day of the fiscal year in which it first takes 
    effect.
        (4) Authority under this section may not be exercised in a 
    manner that would result in more than 1 change taking effect under 
    this section, during the same fiscal year, in the rates of postage 
    for a particular class of mail or kind of mailer, except as provided 
    in paragraph (5).
        (5) Nothing in paragraph (4) shall prevent an adjustment under 
    this section in rates for a class of mail or kind of mailer with 
    respect to which any rates took effect under this section earlier in 
    the same fiscal year if--
            (A) the rates established for such class of mail or kind of 
        mailer by the earlier adjustment are superseded by new rates 
        established under subchapter II; and
            (B) authority under this paragraph has not previously been 
        exercised with respect to such class of mail or kind of mailer 
        based on the new rates referred to in subparagraph (A).

    (c) The Postal Service may prescribe any regulations which may be 
necessary to carry out this section, including provisions governing the 
coordination of adjustments under this section with any other 
adjustments under this title.
    (d) Notwithstanding any provision of section 3626(a)(3)(B) or 
subsection (a) of this section, any temporary rates established under 
this section for non-letter-shaped mail under former section 4452(b) or 
4452(c) of this title shall not be lower than the rates in effect for 
such mail on September 30, 1993.

(Added Pub. L. 103-123, title VII, Sec. 704(a)(2), Oct. 28, 1993, 107 
Stat. 1268.)

                       References in Text

    Former section 4452 of this title, referred to in subsec. (d), means 
section 4452 of former Title 39, The Postal Service, prior to the 
general revision and reenactment of Title 39 by Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 
1970, 84 Stat. 719.


                             Effective Date

    Section applicable with respect to rates for mail sent after Sept. 
30, 1993, see section 704(c)(1) of Pub. L. 103-123, set out as an 
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment note under section 3626 of this title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 3626 of this title.
