[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5261 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5261

  To amend title 39, United States Code, to provide for free mailing 
   privileges for personal correspondence and parcels sent by family 
 members from within the United States to members of the Armed Forces 
             serving on active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 7, 2004

 Mr. Fossella 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 parcels sent by family 
 members from within the United States to members of the Armed Forces 
             serving on active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.

    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 ``Mailing Support to Troops Act of 
2004''.

SEC. 2. FREE MAILING PRIVILEGES.

    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 parcels sent 
              by family members to members of the Armed Forces of the 
              United States serving in Iraq or Afghanistan
    ``(a) In General.--Any mail matter to which this section applies 
may be mailed free of postage if such mail matter--
            ``(1) is addressed to an individual who--
                    ``(A) is a member of the Armed Forces of the United 
                States on active duty (as defined in section 101 of 
                title 10); and
                    ``(B)(i) is serving in Iraq or Afghanistan; or
                    ``(ii) is hospitalized at a facility under the 
                jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the United States 
                as a result of a disease or injury incurred as a result 
                of service in Iraq or Afghanistan; and
            ``(2) is sent--
                    ``(A) by a family member (as defined in section 
                411h of title 37) of the individual referred to in 
                paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) from within an area served by a United States 
                post office.
    ``(b) Applicability.--The free mailing privilege made available by 
this section--
            ``(1) shall apply with respect to--
                    ``(A) letter mail or sound- or video-recorded 
                communications having the character of personal 
                correspondence; and
                    ``(B) parcels not exceeding the maximum size 
                allowed by the Postal Service and the Department of 
                Defense for parcels sent to members of the Armed Forces 
                serving in Iraq or Afghanistan; and
            ``(2) shall not apply with respect to mail matter that 
        contains any advertising.
    ``(c) Rate of Postage.--Any mail matter mailed under this section 
shall be mailed at the equivalent rate of postage which assures that 
such mail matter will be sent by the most economical means practicable.
    ``(d) Marking.--All mail matter mailed under this section shall 
bear, in the upper right-hand corner of the address area, the words 
`Free Matter for Member of the Armed Forces of the United States' or 
words to that effect specified by the Postal Service.
    ``(e) Regulations.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Postal Service shall, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Defense, prescribe any regulations necessary to 
carry out this section.
    ``(f) Duration.--The free mailing privilege made available by this 
section shall apply with respect to mail matter sent during the 1-year 
period beginning on the date on which the regulations under subsection 
(e) take effect.''.

SEC. 3. FUNDING.

    (a) In General.--Sections 2401(c) and 3627 of title 39, United 
States Code, are amended by striking ``3406'' and inserting ``3407''.
    (b) Air Transportation.--
            (1) 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.''.
            (2) Amendment to prevent duplicative funding.--Section 
        3401(e) of title 39, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``transportation or (2)'' and 
                inserting ``transportation, (2)''; and
                    (B) by striking ``office.'' and inserting ``office, 
                or (3) for which amounts are authorized to be 
                appropriated to the Postal Service under section 
                2401(d).''.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) 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)''.
    (b) Comprehensive Plan References.--Sections 2803(a) and 2804(a) of 
title 39, United States Code, 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 parcels sent by 
                            family members to members of the Armed 
                            Forces of the United States serving in Iraq 
                            or Afghanistan.''.
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