Providing Our Support to Troops Act of 2003 - Allows personal correspondence or certain parcels to be mailed free of postage if such matter is: (1) sent from within an area served by a U.S. post office; (2) addressed to an active-duty member of the armed forces or a civilian authorized to use postal services at military installations who holds a position or performs a function in support of military operations; and (3) addressed either to such an individual at a military post office established in an overseas area where the armed forces are engaged in operations involving armed conflict against a hostile foreign force, or to an individual who is hospitalized for a disease or injury resulting from service in such an area.
Prohibits the free mailing privilege for any mail matter containing any advertising.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2705 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2705
To amend title 39, United States Code, to provide for free mailing
privileges for personal correspondence and certain parcels sent from
within the United States to members of the Armed Forces serving on
active duty abroad who are engaged in military operations involving
armed conflict against a hostile foreign force, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 10, 2003
Mr. Lucas of Kentucky introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 39, United States Code, to provide for free mailing
privileges for personal correspondence and certain parcels sent from
within the United States to members of the Armed Forces serving on
active duty abroad who are engaged in military operations involving
armed conflict against a hostile foreign force, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Our Support to Troops Act
of 2003''.
SEC. 2. FREE MAILING PRIVILEGES.
(a) In General.--Chapter 34 of title 39, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3407. Free postage for personal correspondence and certain
parcels mailed to members of Armed Forces of the United
States
``(a) In General.--The matter described in subsection (b) (other
than matter described in subsection (c)) may be mailed free of postage,
if--
``(1) such matter is sent from within an area served by a
United States post office;
``(2) such matter is addressed to an individual who is a
member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty,
as defined in section 101 of title 10, or a civilian,
authorized to use postal services at Armed Forces
installations, who holds a position or performs one or more
functions in support of military operations, as designated by
the military theater commander; and
``(3)(A) such matter is addressed to the individual
referred to in paragraph (2) at an Armed Forces post office
established in an overseas area with respect to which a
designation under section 3401(a)(1)(A) is in effect; or
``(B) in the case of an individual who is hospitalized at a
facility under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the
United States as a result of a disease or injury described in
section 3401(a)(1)(B), such matter is addressed to such
individual at an Armed Forces post office determined under
subsection (f).
``(b) Mail Matter Described.--The free mailing privilege provided
by subsection (a) is extended to--
``(1) letter mail or sound- or video-recorded
communications having the character of personal correspondence;
and
``(2) parcels not exceeding 10 pounds in weight and 60
inches in length and girth combined.
``(c) Limitation.--The free mailing privilege provided by
subsection (a) does not extend to mail matter that contains any
advertising.
``(d) Rate of Postage.--Any matter which is mailed under this
section shall be mailed at the equivalent rate of postage which assures
that the mail will be sent by the most economical means practicable.
``(e) Marking.--All matter mailed under this section shall bear, in
the upper right-hand corner of the address area, the words `Free Matter
for Members of the Armed Forces of the United States', or words to that
effect specified by the Postal Service.
``(f) Regulations.--This section shall be administered under such
conditions, and under such regulations, as the Postal Service and the
Secretary of Defense jointly may prescribe.''.
(b) Funding.--
(1) Free postage.--Sections 2401(c) and 3627 of title 39,
United States Code, are amended by striking ``3406'' and
inserting ``3407''.
(2) Air transportation.--
(A) In general.--Section 2401 of title 39, United
States Code, is amended by redesignating subsections
(d) through (g) as subsections (e) through (h),
respectively, and by inserting after subsection (c) the
following:
``(d) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Postal Service
each year a sum determined by the Postal Service to be equal to the
expenses incurred by the Postal Service in providing air transportation
for mail sent to members of the Armed Forces of the United States free
of postage under section 3407, not including the expense of air
transportation that is provided by the Postal Service at the same
postage rate or charge for mail which is not addressed to an Armed
Forces post office.''.
(B) Amendment to prevent duplicative funding.--
Section 3401(e) of title 39, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``office.'' and inserting ``office
or (3) for which amounts are authorized to be
appropriated to the Postal Service under section
2401(d).''.
(C) Technical and conforming amendments.--
(i) Annual budget.--Section 2009 of title
39, United States Code, is amended in the next
to last sentence by striking ``(b) and (c)''
and inserting ``(b), (c), and (d)''.
(ii) Comprehensive plan references.--
Sections 2803(a) and 2804(a) of such title 39
are amended by striking ``2401(g)'' and
inserting ``2401(f)''.
(c) Chapter Analysis.--The analysis for chapter 34 of title 39,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``3407. Free postage for personal correspondence and certain parcels
mailed to Members of the Armed Forces of
the United States.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.
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