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![handle is hein.crs/crsajmg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS22611
Updated June 12, 2008
Common Questions About
Postage and Stamps
Kevin R. Kosar
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Summary
Constituents and interest groups often approach congressional offices with
questions about postage and stamps. This report provides brief answers to commonly
asked questions and provides sources where congressional staff may learn more about
these topics.
What Is the Difference Between Postage and Stamps?
Postage is the price a customer pays to have the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliver
a letter or package. In order to show that the postage has been prepaid on a letter or
package to be delivered, various postage indicia have been created.' Stamps are one type
of postage indicia.2 Stamps may be issued by the USPS alone.3 Some of the other forms
of postage that look like stamps, such as customized postage, may be produced by
private firms with the approval of the USPS.
1 According to a USPS spokesperson, there are two instances in which letters may be mailed
without indicia. If a letter is sent by a member of the U.S. armed services deployed overseas, he
or she may write free mail in the upper right corner of an envelope. The Department of
Defense reimburses the USPS for the expense of delivering this mail. Also, certain types of
mailings may be sent without postage to persons who are visually impaired. Congress provides
an annual appropriation to reimburse the USPS for this service. See USPS, Mailing Free Matter
for Blind and Visually Handicapped Persons: Questions and Answers, Publication 347
(Washington: USPS, May 2005), at [http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub347.pdf].
2 The exceptions are the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, also known
as duck stamps. They are not valid for postage. Duck stamps were created in 1934 and serve
as a federal license for hunting migratory birds (16 U.S.C. 718-719). Duck stamps also raise
revenues for the conservation of wetlands. For further details, see the website of the Federal
Duck Stamp Program at [http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/].
339 U.S.C. 404(a)(4) empowers the USPS to provide and sell postage stamps [...] and to provide
such other evidences of payment of postage and fees as may be necessary or desirable.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/crsajmg0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)