Declaration of policy

§ 2302. Declaration of policy (a) The Congress hereby emphasizes, reaffirms, and restates its function under the Constitution of the United States of forming postal policy. (b) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress, as set forth in sections 2301–2305 of this title— (1) that the post office is a public service; (2) to provide a more stable basis for the postal-rate structure through the establishment of general principles, standards, and related requirements with respect to the determination and allocation of postal revenues and expenses; and (3) in accordance with these general principles, standards, and related requirements, to provide a means by which the postal-rate structure may be fixed and adjusted by action of the Congress, from time to time, as the public interest may require, in e light of periodic reviews of the postal-rate structure, periodic studies and surveys of expenses and revenues, and periodic reports, required to be made by the Postmaster General as provided by section 2304 of this title. (c) The general principles, standards, and related requirements referred to in subsection (b) of this section are as follows: (1) In the determination and adjustment of the postal-rate structure, due consideration should be given to— (A) the preservation of the inherent advantages of the postal service in the promotion of social, cultural, intellectual, and commercial intercourse among the people of the United States; (B) the development and maintenance of a postal service adapted to the present needs, and adaptable to the future needs, of the people of the United States; (C) the promotion of adequate, economical, and efficient postal service at reasonable and equitable rates and fees; (D) the effect of postal services and the impact of postal rates and fees on users of the mails; (E) the requirements of the postal establishment with respect to the manner and form of preparation and presentation of mailings by the users of the various classes of mail service; (F) the value of mail; (G) the value of time of delivery of mail; and 74 Stat. 600 (H) the quality and character of the service rendered in terms of priority, secrecy, security, speed of transmission, use of facilities and manpower, and other pertinent service factors. (2) The acceptance, transportation, and delivery of first-class mail constitutes a preferred service of the postal establishment and, therefore, the postage for first class mail should be sufficient to cover (A) the entire amount of the expenses allocated to first class mail in accordance with sections 2301–2305 of this title and (B) an additional amount representing the fair value of all extraordinary and preferential services, facilities, and factors relating thereto. (3) Those services, elements of service, and facilities rendered and provided by the postal establishment in accordance with law, including services having public service aspects, which, in whole or in part, are held and considered by the Congress from time to time to be public services for the purposes of sections 2301–2305 of this title shall be administered on the following basis: (A) the sum of such public service items as determined by the Congress should be assumed directly by the Federal Government and paid directly out of the general fund of the Treasury and should not constitute direct charges in the form of rates and fees upon any user or class of users of such public services, or of the mails generally; and (B) nothing contained in any provision of section 2301–2305 of this title should be construed as indicating any intention on the part of the Congress (i) that such public services, or any of them, should be limited or restricted or (ii) to derogate in any way from the need and desirability thereof in the public interest. (4) Postal rates and fees shall be adjusted from time to time as may be required to produce the amount of revenue approximately equal to the total cost of operating the postal establishment less the amount deemed to be attributable to the performance of public services under section 2303 (b) of this title.