(A) the member is accorded free mailing privileges by his own government; (B) the foreign nation extends similar free mailing privileges to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States serving with, or in, a unit under the control of a command of that foreign nation; (C) the member is serving with, or in, a unit under the operational control of a command of the Armed Forces of the United States; (D) such letter mail or sound- or video-recorded communication is mailed by the member (i) at an Armed Forces post office established in an overseas area, as designated by the President, where the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged in action against an enemy of the United States, engaged in military operations involving armed conflict with a hostile foreign force, or serving with a friendly foreign force in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent; or (ii) while hospitalized in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the United States as a result of disease or injury incurred as a result of services in an overseas area designated by the President under clause (D)(i) of this paragraph; and (E) the nation in whose armed forces the sender is a member has agreed to assume all international postal transportation charges incurred. (b) There shall be transported by air, between Armed Forces post offices which are located outside the 48 contiguous States of the United States or between any such Armed Forces post office and the point of embarkation or debarkation within the United States, the territories and possessions of the United States in the Pacific area, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands, on a space available basis, on scheduled United States air carriers at rates fixed and determined by the Secretary of Transportation in accordance with section 41901 of title 49, the following categories of mail matter: (1)(A) letter mail or sound- or video-recorded communications having the character of personal correspondence; (B) parcels not exceeding 15 pounds in weight and 60 inches in length and girth combined; and (C) publications entitled to a periodical publication rate published once each week or more frequently and featuring principally current news of interest to members of the Armed Forces and the general public, which are mailed at or addressed to any such Armed Forces post office; (2) parcels not exceeding 70 pounds in weight and 100 inches in length and girth combined, which are mailed at any such Armed Forces post office; and (3) parcels exceeding 15 pounds but not exceeding 70 pounds in weight and not exceeding 100 inches in length and girth combined, including surface-type official mail, which are mailed at or addressed to any such Armed Forces post office where adequate surface transportation is not available. Whenever adequate service by scheduled United States air carriers is not available to provide transportation of mail matter by air in accordance with this subsection, the transportation of such mail may be authorized by other than scheduled United States air carriers. (c) Any parcel, other than a parcel mailed at a rate of postage requiring priority of handling and delivery, not exceeding 30 pounds in weight and 60 inches in length and girth combined, which is mailed at or addressed to any Armed Forces post office established under section 406(a) of this title, shall be transported by air on a space available basis on scheduled United States air carriers at rates fixed and determined by the Secretary of Transportation in accordance with section 41901 of title 49, upon payment of a fee for such air transportation in addition to the rate of postage otherwise applicable to such a parcel not transported by air. If adequate service by scheduled United States air carriers is not available, any such parcel may be transported by air carriers other than scheduled United States air carriers. (d) The Department of Defense shall transfer to the Postal Service as postal revenues, out of any appropriations or funds available to the Department of Defense, as a necessary expense of the appropriations or funds and of the activities concerned, the equivalent amount of postage due, as determined by the Postal Service, for matter sent in the mails under authority of subsection (a) of this section. (e) The Department of Defense shall transfer to the Postal Service as postal revenues, out of any appropriations or funds available to the Department of Defense, as a necessary expense of the appropriations or funds and of the activities concerned, sums equal to the expenses incurred by the Postal Service, as determined by the Postal Service, in providing air transportation for mail mailed at or addressed to Armed Forces post offices established under section 406 of this title, but reimbursement under this subsection shall not include the expense of air transportation (1) for which the Postal Service collects a special charge to the extent the special charge covers the additional expense of air transportation or (2) that is provided by the Postal Service at the same postage rate or charge for mail which is neither mailed at nor addressed to an Armed Forces post office. (f) This section shall be administered under such conditions, and under such regulations, as the Postal Service and the Secretary of Defense jointly may prescribe. [§ 3402. Repealed. Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1331(e)(3)(A), Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 482] § 3403. Matter for blind and other handicapped persons (a) The matter described in subsection (b) of this section (other than matter mailed under section 3404 of this title) may be mailed free of postage, if— (1) the matter is for the use of the blind or other persons who cannot use or read conventionally printed material be cause of a physical impairment and who are certified by competent authority as unable to read normal reading material in accordance with the provisions of sections 135a and 135b of title 2; (2) no charge, or rental, subscription, or other fee, is required for such matter or a charge, or rental, subscription, or other fee is required for such matter not in excess of the cost thereof; (3) the matter may be opened by the Postal Service for inspection; and (4) the matter contains no advertising. (b) The free mailing privilege provided by subsection (a) of this section is extended to— (1) reading matter and musical scores; (3) paper, records, tapes, and other material for the production of reading matter, musical scores, or sound reproductions; and (4) reproducers or parts thereof, for sound reproductions; (5) braille writers, typewriters, educational or other materials or devices, or parts thereof, used for writing by, or specifically designed or adapted for use of, a blind person or a person having a physical impairment as described in subsection (a)(1) of this section. § 3404. Unsealed letters sent by blind or physically handicapped persons Unsealed letters sent by a blind person or a person having a physical impairment, as described in section 3403(a)(1) of this title, in raised characters or sightsaving type, or in the form of sound recordings, may be mailed free of postage. § 3405. Markings All matter relating to blind or other handicapped persons mailed under section 3403 or 3404 of this title, shall bear the words "Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped", or words to that effect specified by the Postal Service, in the upper right-hand corner of the address area. § 3406. Balloting materials under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (a) Balloting materials under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (individually or in bulk)— (1) shall be carried expeditiously and free of postage; and (2) may be mailed at a post office established outside the United States under section 406 of this title, unless such mailing is prohibited by treaty or other international agreement of the United States. (b) As used in this section, the term "balloting materials" has the meaning given that term in section 107 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. CHAPTER 36—POSTAL RATES, CLASSES, AND SERVICES SUBCHAPTER I-POSTAL RATE COMMISSION Sec. 3601. Establishment. 3602. Terms of office. 3603. Rules; regulations; procedures. 3604. Administration. SUBCHAPTER II-PERMANENT RATES AND CLASSES OF MAIL 3621. Authority to fix rates and classes. 3622. Rates and fees. 3623. Mail classification. 3624. Recommended decisions of Commission. 3625. Action of the Governors. 3626. Reduced rates. 3627. Adjusting free rates. 1 3628. Appellate review. 3629. Reduced rates for voter registration purposes. 2 SUBCHAPTER III-TEMPORARY RATES AND CLASSES 3641. Temporary changes in rates and classes. 3642. Special authority relating to reduced-rate categories of mail. SUBCHAPTER IV-POSTAL SERVICES AND COMPLAINTS 3661. Postal services. 3662. Rate and service complaints. 3663. Annual report on international services. 3681. Reimbursement. SUBCHAPTER V-GENERAL 3682. Size and weight limits. 3683. Uniform rates for books; films; other materials. 3684. Limitations. 3685. Filing of information relating to periodical publications. SUBCHAPTER I—POSTAL RATE COMMISSION §3601. Establishment (a) The Postal Rate Commission is an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States. The Commission is composed of 5 Commissioners, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Commissioners shall be chosen on the basis of their professional qualifications and may be removed by the President only for cause. Not more than 3 of the Commissioners may be adherents of the same political party. (b) A Commissioner may continue to serve after the expiration of his term until his successor has qualified, except that a Commissioner may not so continue to serve for more than 1 year after the 1 Does not conform to section heading. 2 See footnote to section 3629 for effective date provided by section 13 of P.L. 103–31. date upon which his term otherwise would expire under section 3602 of this title. (c) One of the Commissioners shall be designated as Chairman by, and shall serve in the position of Chairman at the pleasure of, the President. (d) The Commissioners shall by majority vote designate a Vice Chairman of the Commission. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman of the Commission in the absence of the Chairman. §3602. Terms of office The Commissioners of the Postal Rate Commission shall serve for terms of 6 years except that (1) the terms of the Commissioners first taking office shall expire as designated by the President at the time of appointment, 1 at the end of 2 years, 2 at the end of 4 years, and 2 at the end of 6 years, following the appointment of the first of them; and (2) any Commissioner appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall serve for the remainder of such term. § 3603. Rules; regulations; procedures The Postal Rate Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations and establish procedures, subject to chapters 5 and 7 of title 5, and take any other action they deem necessary and proper to carry out their functions and obligations to the Government of the United States and the people as prescribed under this chapter. Such rules, regulations, procedures, and actions shall not be subject to any change or supervision by the Postal Service. §3604. Administration (a) The Chairman of the Postal Rate Commission shall be the principal executive officer of the Commission. The Chairman shall exercise or direct the exercise of all the executive and administrative functions of the Commission, including functions of the Commission with respect to (1) the appointment of personnel employed under the Commission, except that the appointment of heads of major administrative units under the Commission shall require the approval of a majority of the members of the Commission, (2) the supervision of the personnel employed under the Commission and the distribution of business among them and among the Commissioners, and (3) the use and expenditure of funds. (b) In carrying out any of his functions under this section, the Chairman shall be governed by the general policies of the Commission. (c) The Chairman may obtain such facilities and supplies as may be necessary to permit the Commission to carry out its functions. Any officer or employee appointed under this section shall be paid at rates of compensation and shall be entitled to programs offering employee benefits established under chapter 10 or chapter 12 of this title, as appropriate. (d)(1) The Commission shall periodically prepare and submit to the Postal Service a budget of the Commission's expenses, including, but not limited to, expenses for facilities, supplies, compensa |