[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3981 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3981

  To provide that a person may use a private express for the private 
carriage of certain letters and packets without being penalized by the 
                Postal Service, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 1996

   Mr. Franks of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was 
    referred to the Committee on on Government Reform and Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide that a person may use a private express for the private 
carriage of certain letters and packets without being penalized by the 
                Postal Service, 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. PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF CERTAIN LETTERS AND PACKETS.

    (a) Postal Service Administration.--(1) Section 601(a) of title 39, 
United States Code, is amended by striking out ``A letter'' and 
inserting in lieu thereof ``Subject to the provisions of section 607, a 
letter''.
    (2)(A) Chapter 6 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by 
adding after section 606 the following new section:
``Sec. 607. Administration relating to certain letters and packets
    ``In the administration of the provisions of this chapter and 
chapter 4 of this title by the Postal Service or the Attorney General 
of the United States and in the administration of sections 1693 through 
1699 of title 18 by the Attorney General of the United States, the 
Postal Service or the Attorney General of the United States, 
respectively, may not fine or otherwise penalize any person who 
transmits by private express or other unlawful means, or delivers to 
any agent thereof, or deposits at any appointed place, for the purpose 
of being so transmitted any letter or packet.''.
    (B) The table of sections for chapter 6 of title 39, United States 
Code, is amended by adding after the item relating to section 606 the 
following:

``607. Administration relating to certain letters and packets.''.
    (b) Private Express Provisions.--(1) Chapter 83 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (A) in section 1696--
                    (i) by striking out subsection (b); and
                    (ii) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection 
                (b); and
            (B) by inserting after section 1699 the following new 
        section:
``Sec. 1699A. Application of postal service provisions
    ``The provisions of sections 1693 through 1699 of this title shall 
be subject to the provisions of section 607 of title 39.''.
    (2) The table of sections for chapter 83 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1699 
the following:

``1699A. Application of Postal Service provisions.''.

SEC. 2. SEARCHES.

    Section 603 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``The Postal Service'' and inserting:
    ``(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Postal Service'' 
and by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) The Postal Service may not authorize any officer or employee 
of the Postal Service to make searches of mail matter listed in 
subsection (a) in any store or office of a customer of a common carrier 
or transportation company.''.

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