Title 39 — Postal ServiceRelease 119-73
§3627 Adjusting free rates
Title 39 › Part PART IV— - MAIL MATTER › Chapter CHAPTER 36— - POSTAL RATES, CLASSES, AND SERVICES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - PROVISIONS RELATING TO MARKET-DOMINANT PRODUCTS › § 3627
Summary
If Congress doesn't provide the money called for by section 2401(c) for mail sent free under sections 3217 or 3403–3406, the rates for that mail can be raised so the extra revenue equals the missing funds.
Full Legal Text
Title 39, §3627
Postal Service — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
If Congress fails to appropriate an amount authorized under section 2401(c) of this title for any class of mail sent free of postage under section 3217 or 3403–3406 11 So in original. Probably should be followed by “of this title,”. the rate for that class may be adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter so that the increased revenues received from the users of such class will equal the amount for that class that the Congress was to appropriate.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2006—Pub. L. 109–435 inserted section catchline and struck out former catchline which read the same. 1993—Pub. L. 103–123 substituted “free rates” for “free and reduced rates” in section catchline and “sent free of postage under section 3217 or 3403–3406” for “sent at a free or reduced rate under section 3217, 3403–3406, 3626, or 3629 of this title,” in text. Pub. L. 103–31 substituted “3626, or 3629 of this title” for “or 3626 of this title,”. 1986—Pub. L. 99–410 substituted “3406” for “3405” and struck out “under the Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955, or under the Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act of 1975” after “3626 of this title,”. 1978—Pub. L. 95–593 inserted provisions relating to applicability of Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act of 1975.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1993
Amendments
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–123 applicable with respect to rates for mail sent after Sept. 30, 1993, see section 704(c)(1) of Pub. L. 103–123, set out as a note under section 3626 of this title. Amendment by Pub. L. 103–31 effective (1) with respect to a State that, on
May 20, 1993, has a provision in the constitution of the State that would preclude compliance with section 20501 et seq. of Title 52, Voting and Elections, unless the State maintained separate Federal and State official lists of eligible voters, on the later of Jan. 1, 1996, or the date that is 120 days after the date by which, under the constitution of the State as in effect on
May 20, 1993, it would be legally possible to adopt and place into effect any
Amendments
to the constitution of the State that are necessary to permit compliance with section 20501 et seq. of Title 52 without requiring a special election, and (2) with respect to a State not described above, on Jan. 1, 1995, see section 13 of Pub. L. 103–31, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 20501 of Title 52.
Effective Date
of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–410 applicable with respect to elections taking place after Dec. 31, 1987, see section 204 of Pub. L. 99–410, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 20301 of Title 52, Voting and Elections.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
39 U.S.C. § 3627
Title 39 — Postal Service
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73