Us Code § 3214 - Mailing privilege of former President; surviving spouse of former President
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 3214 — Mailing privilege of former President; surviving spouse of former President, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 3214. Mailing privilege of former President; surviving spouse of former President
A former President and the surviving spouse of a former President may send nonpolitical mail within the United States and its territories and possessions as franked mail. Such mail of a former President and of the surviving spouse of a former President marked "Postage and Fees Paid" in the manner prescribed by the Postal Service shall be accepted by the Postal Service for transmission in the international mails.
(Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 754; Pub. L. 93–191, §4(a), Dec. 18, 1973, 87 Stat. 742; Pub. L. 103–123, title IV, §6(b), Oct. 28, 1993, 107 Stat. 1246; Pub. L. 105–61, title IV, §409(b), Oct. 10, 1997, 111 Stat. 1299.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1997—Pub. L. 105–61 struck out subsec. (a) designation, substituted "A former President" for "Subject to subsection (b), a former President", and struck out subsec. (b) which read as follows: "Subsection (a) shall cease to apply—
"(1) 5 years after the effective date of this subsection, in the case of any individual who, on such effective date—
"(A) is a former President (including any individual who might become entitled to the mailing privilege under subsection (a) as the surviving spouse of such a former President); or
"(B) is the surviving spouse of a former President; and
"(2) 4 years and 6 months after the expiration of the period for which services and facilities are authorized to be provided under section 4 of the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 (3 U.S.C. 102 note), in the case of an individual who becomes a former President after such effective date (including any surviving spouse of such individual, as described in the parenthetical matter in paragraph (1)(A))."
1993—Pub. L. 103–123 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), substituted "Subject to subsection (b), a former" for "A former", and added subsec. (b).
1973—Pub. L. 93–191 limited the mailing privilege to nonpolitical mail, extended the privilege to surviving spouse of former President and provided for acceptance of such mail marked "Postage and Fees Paid" by the Postal Service for transmission in the international mails.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Pub. L. 103–123, title IV, §6(c), Oct. 28, 1993, 107 Stat. 1247, provided that: "The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and provisions set out as a note under section 102 of Title 3, The President] shall take effect on October 1, 1993."
Effective Date of 1973 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 93–191 effective Dec. 27, 1972, see section 14 of Pub. L. 93–191, set out as a note under section 3210 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective July 1, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71–9 of the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as a note preceding section 101 of this title.
About This Section
39 U.S.C. § 3214 is part of Title 39 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 39 U.S.C. § 3214. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.