(1) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and (2) The Virgin Islands, and (b) Between the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. [26 FR. 11553, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 33 F.R. 12284, Aug. 31, 1968; 34 F.R. 146, Jan. 4, 1969. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 136.3 Weight and size limits. (a) Weight. Airmail may weigh up to 70 pounds. See Part 127 of this chapter for the exception to this limit for articles addressed to certain APO's and NPO's. (b) Size. Airmail is limited to 100 inches in combined length and girth. See Part 127 of this chapter for the exception to this limit for articles addressed to certain APO's and NPO's and § 135.3 (b) of this chapter for instructions on how to measure parcels. [26 FR. 11553, Dec. 6, 1961. Redesignated at 31 FR. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 136.4 Payment of postage. Postage on airmail may be paid by adhesive postage stamps, stamped cards or envelopes, meter stamps, or permit imprints. [26 F.R. 11553, Dec. 6, 1961. Redesignated at 31 FR. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 136.5 Additions and enclosures. There are no special restrictions with respect to written additions and enclosures in airmail. [33 FR. 12284, Aug. 31, 1968] § 136.6 Marking, sealing, and depositing. (a) Place the word "Airmail" prominently on the address side of flat mail preferably below the stamps and above the address, and on the top, bottom, and sides of parcels. Adhesive Label 19, available without charge at the local post office, may be used. The return address of the sender must be shown on the address side of each air parcel mailed at zone rates of postage. (b) Airmail may be sealed or left unsealed without affecting the air rate. (c) Deposit airmail weighing 7 ounces or less at the post office or in a special airmail letter box or drop, if available, to insure fastest dispatch, or in any collection box. Airmail weighing over 7 ounces must be deposited at the post office, branch, or station, or handed to a rural or star route carrier. (d) Use envelopes printed with special airmail design for airmail only. Their use for mail not intended for air transmission is not permissible. [33 F.R. 12284, Aug. 31, 1968] Sec. 137.1 137.2 137.3 137.4 137.5 137.6 137.7 PART 137-OFFICIAL MAIL Members of Congress. Executive and judicial officers. Mail sent to Government Departments. Absentee balloting materials. President-elect, former Presidents and widows of former Presidents. 137.8 Pan American Union and Pan American Sanitary Bureau. 137.9 General instructions. AUTHORITY: The provisions of this Part 137 issued under R.S. 161, as amended; sec. 1303 (d), 40 Stat. 1141, as amended, sec. 1, 62 Stat. 783; 2 U.S.C. 277, 5 U.S.C. 301, 18 U.S.C. 1719, 39 U.S.C. 501, 2303, 2503, 2510, 4151-4156, 4158-4168. § 137.1 Members of Congress. (a) Collection of postage. Postage on mail sent under the franking privilege by the Vice President, Members and Members-elect of Congress, the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, the Secretary of The Senate, Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives is paid annually by a lump sum to the Post Office Department. (b) Description. Official mail of Members of Congress bearing written signature or a printed facsimile signature instead of a postage stamp is sent without prepayment of postage. Mail accepted under frank, and the officials authorized to use franked mail, are shown in paragraph (c) of this section. (d) Restrictions. The following restrictions apply to franked mail: (1) Official correspondence transmitted under frank of the Vice President, Members and Members-elect of Congress, Secretary of the Senate, Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, and Resident Commissioners, must be on official or departmental business. (2) No franked mail will be admitted to the mail unless admissible as ordinary mail. (3) A person entitled to use franked mail may not loan his frank or permit its use by any committee, organization, or association; or permit its use by any person for the benefit or use of any committee, organization, or association. This restriction does not apply to any committee composed of Members of Congress. (4) Franked mail is forwarded like any other mail, but when once delivered to the addressee it may not be remailed. A package of franked pieces may be sent by a person entitled to the franking privilege, to one addressee, who, on receiving and opening the package, may on behalf of such person, place addresses on the franked articles and mail them. (5) Franked mail is handled as ordinary mail. Fees for special services must be paid at the time of mailing. (6) Franked mail must be addressed to the recipient by name, except as provided in § 123.4(d) (2) of this chapter. (e) Weight and size limits―(1) Weight. Official correspondence is limited to 4 ounces, except that when addressed to a Government official by title the limit is 4 pounds. (2) Size, shape, ratio, and sealing. The provisions of §§ 132.3, 132.2(a) (7), 131.3(b) and 134.3 (b) of this chapter apply. [26 F.R. 11553, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 29 F.R. 564, Jan. 23, 1964; 30 F.R. 89, Jan. 6, 1965; 33 F.R. 17243, Nov. 21, 1968. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 137.2 Executive and judicial officers. (a) Collection of postage. Departments, agencies, and establishments of the U.S. Government must reimburse the Post Office Department in amounts equivalent to the amount of postage and fees due on their mail for which the Post Office Department does not otherwise receive compensation. Instructions governing the manner of reimbursement for mailings made without postage or fees prepaid are issued by the Bureau of Finance which negotiates reimbursement agreements with the departments and agencies concerned. (b) Description. The following kinds of mail may be sent as Federal Government mail by those authorized to use this privilege: (1) Official mail relating exclusively to the business of the Government of the United States mailed by officers of the executive and judicial branches of the Government; official mail of legislative counsel for the House of Representatives and the Senate; official mail of the Superintendent of Documents; and official correspondence concerning the Congressional Directory under direction of the Joint Committee Printing. on (2) All correspondence, bulletins, and reports relating to agricultural extension work and home economics carried on in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, when mailed by the college officer or other person connected with the extension department of the college who has been designated by the Secretary of Agriculture. Mailings may be deposited by the designated officer only at the authorized post office. Correspondence must be conducted under the name of the designated officer. Correspondence with autograph signature may be sealed but all other matter must be left unsealed. (3) Bulletins, reports, periodicals, reprints of articles, and other publications necessary for the dissemination of results or researches and experiments, including lists of publications available for distribution, when mailed by agricultural experiment stations designated by the Act of March 2, 1887, as amended by the Act of August 11, 1955, as follows: The officer in charge of a station that claims the privilege of sending materials without prepayment of postage through the mail must file an application with the Bureau of Operations, Classification and Special Services Division, through the post office where the station is located, stating the date of establishment of the station, its name or designation, its official organization, the names of its officers, the name of the college, school or institution to which it is attached, if any, the legislation of the State or Territory providing for its establishment, and any other legislation granting it the benefits of the act of Congress referred to in this section. (4) Annual reports of Governmentaided colleges established under the Act of July 2, 1862, when addressed to the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and to any other Government-aided college. The postmaster receiving the annual reports from an officer of the college will use a post office penalty envelope or label to send it through the mail. (5) Copyright material sent to the Register of Copyrights with claim for registration, as follows: (i) Postmasters receiving the claim for registration and any articles that are required to accompany the claim will use a post office penalty envelope or label to send the matter to the Register of Copyrights, Washington, D.C. 20540. (ii) If requested to do so, the postmaster will give a receipt for articles delivered to him to accompany a claim for registration. (iii) When desired, the person submitting copyright matter to the postmaster may also present the fee for copyright registration enclosed in a sealed envelope addressed to Register of Copyrights, Washington, D.C. 20540, which must have postage prepaid at the letter rate. The postmaster, after canceling the postage stamps, will enclose the envelope containing the fee together with the copyright material in the post office penalty envelope sent to the Register of Copyrights. (iv) Matter for copyright enclosed in post office penalty envelopes will not be sent by registered mail unless the registry fee is prepaid. official (c) Methods of preparing mail-(1) Postage and fees paid. (i) All official mail of authorized departments or agencies, subject to the weight and size limits, if any, for matter of its class, shall be given the postal service indicated on its cover when the mail is marked in the upper right corner of the address side "Postage and Fees Paid (Name of department or agency)". This marking may not be handwritten or typewritten. (ii) Authorized departments and agencies are: Administrative Conference of the United States. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Agency for International Development Air Force, Department of Alaska Railroad. Federal Aviation Administration Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Federal Railroad Administration. Federal Reserve System, Board of Governors of the Federal Trade Commission Foreign Claims Settlement Commission Great Lakes Basin Commission. Housing and Urban Development, Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service Inter-Agency Committee on Mexican American Affairs. Interior, Department of International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S. Section. Interstate Commerce Commission National Advisory Council on Economic National Aeronautics and Space Agency National Capital Housing Authority National Commission on Food Marketing National Capital Planning Commission National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities. National Gallery of Art National Institutes of Health National Labor Relations Board National Mediation Board National Science Foundation National Security Council. Navy, Department of New England River Basin Commission. Office of Civil Defense Office of Emergency Planning Office of Economic Opportunity Panama Canal Company Peace Corps Plans for Progress President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped President's Council on Physical Fitness Public Housing Administration Public Land Law Review Commission. Renegotiation Board Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Secretary of Defense, Office of Securities and Exchange Commission Small Business Administration Special Representative for Trade Negotiation State Employment Security Offices. (See § 137.4 of this chapter.) Subversive Activities Control Board U.S. Commissioner-Delaware River Basin Commission U.S. Court of Claims U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals U.S. Court of Military Appeals U.S. Courts U.S. Customs Court U.S. General Accounting Once U.S. Soldier's Home U.S. Supreme Court (iii) This mail must show over the words "Official Business" in the upper left corner of the address side the name and return address, including ZIP Code, of the department, bureau, office, or officer. (iv) Printed reply envelopes or labels marked "Postage and Fees Paid (name of department or agency)" and preaddressed to a Federal Government office or officer may be furnished to persons or concerns for convenience in submitting information for official purposes, or for delivery of official matter, subject to the following conditions: (a) Reply envelopes or labels furnished to contractors must bear the printed return address of one of the agencies listed in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph over the words "Official Business." No return name and address of a private person or firm may be shown. (b) When a special service is required, the reply envelope or label must be preprinted with the type of special service desired. Users of reply labels may not add their own markings for these services. (v) Official mail of designated State extension directors must bear in the upper left corner the name of the agricultural college and the name of the post office at which the mail is to be accepted without prepayment of postage, followed by the name and title of the designated officer and the words "Cooperative Agricultural Extension Work-Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914." The words "Postage and Fees Paid, U.S. Department of Agriculture" must appear in the upper right corner of the address side. (vi) Official mailings by agricultural experiment stations must bear in the upper left corner of the address side the name of the station, the name of the post office at which the matter is to be accepted, and the name and title of the officer in charge of the station, followed by the word "Publication." The title of the bulletin or report may be used. The words "Postage Paid, U.S. Department of Agriculture" must appear in the upper right corner of the address side. (2) Penalty. Penalty mail, subject to the restrictions of paragraph (d) of this section, is sent without prepayment of postage. Envelopes, cards, labels, tags, and wrappers used in transmitting official mail under the penalty privilege must bear in the upper right corner of the address side the printed statement of the penalty of misuse: "Penalty for Private Use to Avoid Payment of Postage, $300." The printed statement of the penalty for misuse may not be handwritten or typewritten. They must also show, over the words "Official Business" in the upper left corner of the address side, the name and address of the department, bureau, office, or officer. (3) Prepaid postage. Official mail which is not sent as penalty mail or as postage and fees paid mail must have postage prepaid. The regular rates and conditions apply except that postage on official mail weighing over 4 pounds may be paid at the fourth-class rates. See paragraph (e) (1) of this section. (d) Use. (1) The markings authorized on official mail in paragraph (c) of this section may not be placed on other mail to avoid payment of postage or special service fees. (2) Any department or office authorized to use the official mail privilege may furnish self-addressed envelopes or labels to persons or concerns for their convenience in submitting official information desired by any U.S. Government department or agency. Reply envelopes may not be furnished to bid |