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The United States Government Manual
United States Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20260
202-268-2000
http://about.usps.com
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
| CHAIR | Robert M. Duncan |
| Vice Chair | (vacancy) |
| Governor | John M. Barger |
| Governor | Ronald A. Bloom |
| Governor | Roman Martinez IV |
| Governor | Donald L. Moak |
| Governor | William D. Zollars |
| Governor | (vacancy) |
| Governor | (vacancy) |
| Postmaster General / Chief Executive Officer | Louis DeJoy |
| Deputy Postmaster General / Chief Government Relations Officer | (vacancy) |
| Secretary | Michael J. Elston |
OFFICERS
| POSTMASTER GENERAL / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | Louis DeJoy |
| Deputy Postmaster General | (vacancy) |
| EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS | Scott Bombaugh, Acting |
| Joseph Corbett | |
| Isaac Cronkhite | |
| Thomas J. Marshall | |
| Pritha Mehra, Acting | |
| Steve Monteith, Acting | |
| Kristin Seaver | |
| Jacqueline Krage Strako | |
| David E. Williams | |
| Chief Postal Inspector | Gary Barksdale |
| General Counsel | Thomas J. Marshall |
| VICE PRESIDENT | |
| Corporate Communications | Jeffery A. Adams |
Commerce and Business Solutions
| CHIEF COMMERCE AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS OFFICER | Jacqueline Krage Strako |
| VICE PRESIDENTS | |
| Facilities | Thomas Samra |
| Business Development | (vacancy) |
| Business Solutions | (vacancy) |
| Transportation Strategy | Kelly Abney, Acting |
Customer Affairs and Marketing
| CHIEF CUSTOMER AND MARKETING OFFICER | Steve Monteith, Acting |
| VICE PRESIDENTS | |
| Customer Experience | Kelly M. Sigmon |
| Marketing | (vacancy) |
| Product Innovation | Gary Reblin |
| Sales | Timothy R. Costello, Acting |
Financial Affairs
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | Joseph Corbett |
| SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT | |
| Finance and Strategy | Luke Grossman |
| VICE PRESIDENTS | |
| Controller | Cara Greene |
| Pricing and Costing | Sharon Owens |
| Supply Management | Mark Guilfoil |
Government Relations
| CHIEF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICER | (vacancy) |
| Judicial Officer | Alan R. Caramella, Acting |
Human Resources
| CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER | Isaac Cronkhite |
| Labor Relations | Douglas Tulino |
| Employee Resource Management | Simon Storey |
Information
| CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER | Pritha Mehra, Acting |
| VICE PRESIDENTS | |
| Mail Entry and Payment Technology | Randy Workman, Acting |
| Information Security | Gregory S. Crabb |
| Information Technology | Marc McCrery, Acting |
| Chief Information Security Officer | Gregory S. Crabb |
Logistics and Processing Operations
| CHIEF LOGISTICS AND PROCESSING OPERATIONS OFFICER | David E. Williams |
| VICE PRESIDENTS | |
| Logistics | Robert Cintron |
| Processing and Maintenance Operations | Mike Barber |
| VICE PRESIDENTS—REGIONAL OPERATIONS | |
| Eastern | Dane Coleman |
| Western | Larry Muñoz |
Retail and Delivery
| CHIEF RETAIL AND DELIVERY OFFICER | Kristin Seaver |
| VICE PRESIDENTS | |
| Delivery Operations | Joshua D. Colin |
| Retail and Post Office Operations | Angela Curtis |
| VICE PRESIDENTS—AREA OPERATIONS | |
| Atlantic | Salvatore Vacca |
| Central | Krista Finazzo, Acting |
| Southern | Shaun E. Mossman |
| Western Pacific | Gregory Graves |
Technology
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER | Scott Bombaugh, Acting |
| VICE PRESIDENTS | |
| Engineering Systems | Linda M. Malone, Acting |
| Enterprise Analytics | Jeffrey C. Johnson |
| Inspector General | Tammy L. Whitcomb |
The United States Postal Service binds the Nation together through the people's personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence by providing prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and by rendering postal services to all communities.
ESTABLISHMENT AND ORGANIZATION
Three weeks after the battles of Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and planned for the defense of the colonies against Great Britain. The conveyance of letters and intelligence was essential for winning the war for independence. A committee, which Benjamin Franklin chaired, was named to consider the creation of a postal system. The committee reported back to the Continental Congress in July of 1775. The Continental Congress agreed to the committee's recommendations, quickly created the position of Postmaster General, and named the committee's chair to fill the new position. Under Franklin and his immediate successors, the postal system mainly carried communications between Congress and the Continental Army. To ensure reliable service, postmasters and post riders were exempt from military duties. Franklin served as Postmaster General until November of 1776. He held the office when the Declaration of Independence created the United States in July of that year, which means that Franklin had the distinction of serving as the first Postmaster General of the United States. America's present Postal Service descends from the system Franklin placed in operation.
https://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdfThe Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781. Article IX addressed the establishment and regulation of "post offices from one State to another, throughout all the United States" and the exaction of "postage on the papers passing" from State to State, throughout the United States, "as may be requisite to defray the expenses of the said office."
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=3&page=transcriptThe Constitution of the United States gives the U.S. Congress the power "to establish Post Offices and post Roads" (ART. I, Sec. 8).
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=9&page=transcriptOn September 22, 1789, President George Washington approved an "Act for the temporary establishment of the Post-Office" (1 Stat. 70). This temporary piece of legislation provided that "the regulations of the post-office shall be the same as they last were under the resolutions and ordinances of the late Congress." It also provided for the appointment of a Postmaster General, who would "be subject to the direction of the President . . . in performing the duties of his office, and in forming contracts for the transportation of the mail." The Act remained in force "until the end of the next session of Congress," and its provisions were continued by subsequent acts.
https://www.loc.gov/law/help/statutes-at-large/1st-congress/session-1/c1s1ch16.pdfOn June 8, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant approved an "Act to revise, consolidate, and amend the Statutes relating to the Post-office Department" (17 Stat. 283). Even before the passage of this law, the Post Office, or General Post Office, as it sometimes was called, had acquired the additional epithet of Post-office Department, which inaccurately implied its prior establishment as an executive branch department. This law "established, at the seat of government of the United States of America, a department to be known as the Post-office Department." The Post Office was now officially named the Post-office Department, and it had acquired departmental status within the executive branch of Government.
https://www.loc.gov/law/help/statutes-at-large/42nd-congress/session-2/c42s2ch335.pdfPursuant to the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949 (PL 81–109), President Harry S. Truman prepared Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1949 and transmitted it to the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 20, 1949. The provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949 became effective on August 20, 1949.
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5a-node84-leaf99&num=0&edition=prelimOn August 23, 1949, the National Archives published President Truman's reorganization plan in the Federal Register (14 FR 5225). The plan "established an Advisory Board for the Post Office Department." In addition to the Chair and Vice Chair, the Board comprised seven other members who were representative of the public. It also provided that these seven members "shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate"; that this same process shall be applied to the appointment of the Deputy Postmaster General; and that the Post Office Department's Postmaster General and Deputy Postmaster General shall serve as the Board's Chair and Vice Chair.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1949-08-23/pdf/FR-1949-08-23.pdfOn August 12, 1970, President Richard M. Nixon approved Public Law 91–375, which is commonly cited as the Postal Reorganization Act. Senators and Representatives passed this piece of legislation "to improve and modernize the postal service" and "to reorganize the Post Office Department." Regarding postal policy, the Act stated: "The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by Act of Congress, and supported by the people . . . . shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people . . . . shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities. The costs of establishing and maintaining the Postal Service shall not be apportioned to impair the overall value of such service to the people" (84 Stat. 719). The present United States Postal Service (USPS) commenced operations on July 1, 1971.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-84/pdf/STATUTE-84-Pg719.pdfThe most comprehensive postal legislation since the Nation's founding, the Postal Reorganization Act transformed the Post Office Department into the USPS, an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Federal Government. The Act did not change, however, the mission of the Postal Service, as stated in section 101 of 39 U.S.C. The new USPS began operations on July 1, 1971, the same day that the President's Cabinet no longer included the Postmaster General among its membership. The Act affected postal rates and mail classifications, terms and conditions of employment, labor and management relations, laws that govern mail transportation, and compensation and benefits for USPS officers and employees.
Regarding labor and management relations, the Postal Reorganization Act authorized collective bargaining on wages and working conditions under laws that apply to private industry and provided for binding arbitration if an impasse persists 180 days after the start of bargaining. The strike ban, which is applicable to all Federal employees, remained in effect. The Act authorized the National Labor Relations Board to determine proper bargaining units, supervise representative elections, and enforce the unfair labor practices provisions. It also protected the rights of all employees to form, join, or assist a labor organization or to refrain from such activity. Today, the USPS is the only Federal agency whose employment policies are governed by a process of collective bargaining that the National Labor Relations Act prescribes.
https://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdfOn December 20, 2006, President George W. Bush signed Public Law 109–435, which is cited usually as the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (120 Stat. 3198).
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-120/pdf/STATUTE-120-Pg3198.pdfThis piece of legislation made more than 150 changes to Federal law, affecting the Postal Service.
https://about.usps.com/transforming-business/postal-act-2006.htmChanges included the categorization of postal products, the replacement of the Postal Rate Commission by the Postal Regulatory Commission, transferring the obligation to pay military pension costs, and the establishment of the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, into which the Postal Service was required to prepay benefits for 10 years into the future.
https://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdfSpanning two full centuries and parts of two others, congressional action and Presidential approval have shaped the general organization of the Postal Service into what it is today. The Board of Governors directs the exercise of USPS powers, reviews its practices and policies, and directs and controls USPS expenditures. The Board comprises 11 members, 9 of whom the President appoints by the advice and with the consent of the Senate. Not more than five governors may belong to the same political party. The governors are chosen to represent the public interest, and they may not be representatives of specific interests that use the Postal Service. The Postmaster General and Deputy Postmaster General are also voting members of the Board.
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ac56841027cf753f6ab20c24468d6fa3&mc=true&node=pt39.1.221&rgn=div5#se39.1.221_12The chief executive officer of the Postal Service is the Postmaster General, who is responsible responsible for the overall operation of the Postal Service. The Board of Governors appoints the Postmaster General. The Postmaster General and the governors appoint the Deputy Postmaster General.
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ac56841027cf753f6ab20c24468d6fa3&mc=true&node=pt39.1.221&rgn=div5#se39.1.221_14The USPS posts its organizational chart in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing and downloading.
https://about.usps.com/who/leadership/hq-org.pdfThe USPS statement of organization has been assigned to part 221 in 39 CFR.
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ac56841027cf753f6ab20c24468d6fa3&mc=true&node=pt39.1.221&rgn=div5STATUTORY AND REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
Statutory material affecting the Postal Service has been codified and assigned to 39 U.S.C. The title comprises four parts: General, Personnel, Modernization and Fiscal Administration, Mail Matter, and Transportation of Mail.
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title39&edition=prelimRegulatory material that is associated with the USPS is codified and assigned to 39 CFR. The title comprises parts 1–3099.
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ac56841027cf753f6ab20c24468d6fa3&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title39/39tab_02.tplACTIVITIES
The USPS provides business, Government, mailing, shipping, and sustainability services, as well as law enforcement. As a Federal agency, the USPS has been a sustainability leader through policies and programs like its renewable energy and recycling initiatives.
https://about.usps.com/what/welcome.htmThe USPS is the only delivery service that reaches every mailbox—including APO, FPO, DPO, and post office box addresses—nationwide. This comprehensive reach allows the USPS to support Government activities through its services like the distribution of tax forms and the delivery of ballots overseas.
https://about.usps.com/what/government-servicesUSPS programs support communities through disseminating information, educating, and participating in worthwhile causes. Examples of these types of programs include National Dog Bite Awareness Week, the Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive, and a partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
https://about.usps.com/what/corporate-social-responsibility/activitiesThe U.S. Postal Inspection Service has jurisdiction in criminal matters affecting the integrity and security of the mail. Postal inspectors protect all postal employees and enforce Federal statutes involving mail fraud, mail bombs, child pornography, illegal drugs, mail theft, and other postal crimes.
https://www.uspis.govTo expand and improve its services, the USPS engages in customer cooperation activities, including the development of programs for both the general public and major customers. To provide services that are responsive to public needs, the Postal Service operates its own planning, research, engineering, real estate, and procurement programs, and it maintains close ties with international postal organizations.
Sources of Information
Annual Food Drive
On the second Saturday of May, in more than 10,000 cities and towns nationwide, letter carriers collect food that postal customers donate, as part of the National Association of Letter Carriers' (NALC) one-day Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive, which is the largest in the Nation. Led by letter carriers who are represented by the NALC (AFL–CIO), with help from rural letter carriers, other postal employees, and volunteers, the drive has delivered more than one billion pounds of food over the past 25 years. Carriers collect nonperishable food donations in post offices and at mailboxes and deliver them to local community food banks, pantries, and shelters. Nearly 1,500 NALC branches in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands participate.
https://about.usps.com/what/corporate-social-responsibility/activities/nalc-food-drive.htmAnnual Reports / Strategic Plans
Documents that are required by law and regularly published by the Office of Strategic Planning are available in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing online and downloading.
https://about.usps.com/strategic-planning/future-postal-service/publications.htmArchived Records
The "Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States" indicates that USPS records have been assigned to record group 488. The guide is accessible online, but it does not contain a description that is associated with record group 488.
https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/index-numeric/401-to-500.htmlBlog
"Postal Posts" is the USPS's official blog.
https://uspsblog.comBusiness Customers
The Business Customer Gateway website supports USPS online services for mailers, shippers, and business.
https://gateway.usps.com/eAdmin/view/signinBusiness Opportunities
Suppliers can learn about doing business with the Postal Service online. Information on rights and permissions (the use of trademarked material) and licensing products is also available online.
http://about.usps.com/doing-business/welcome.htmCareer Opportunities
Information on careers—including information for veterans and reservists, for students and recent graduates—is available on the USPS website or at the nearest post office.
https://about.usps.com/careersIn 2019, the Office of Inspector General ranked 57th among 420 agency subcomponents in the Partnership for Public Service's Best Places To Work Agency Rankings.
https://bestplacestowork.org/rankings/detail/PS01Change of Address
A family member, individual, or business owner may change his or her address online, using the "Official USPS Change-of-Address" web page.
https://moversguide.usps.com/mgo/disclaimer?referral=MG14Contact Information
The USPS posts contact information online. It also operates a customer care center. Phone, 800-275-8777.
https://www.usps.com/help/contact-us.htmUSPS media relations specialists can answer questions that journalists and reporters may have.
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/welcome.htm#national-media-contactsElection Mail
Americans rely on the USPS to fulfill its role in the electoral process. The Postal Service provides an effective, efficient, and secure way for citizens to participate in democracy when policymakers decide to use mail as part of elections.
https://about.usps.com/what/government-services/election-mailThe USPS Office of Inspector General website has a section that is devoted to "Election and Political Mail."
https://www.uspsoig.gov/election-and-political-mailFederal Register
Significant documents and documents that the USPS recently published in the Federal Register are accessible online.
https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/postal-serviceForms / Publications
The "Resources" web page provides convenient access to USPS forms and publications, including the "Postal Bulletin," which was started in 1880.
http://about.usps.com/periodicals-publications/welcome.htmFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The FOIA is a Federal law that provides the public a right of access to Government documents and records, the premise being that the public has a right to know what the Federal Government is doing. The FOIA applies to executive branch agencies, which includes the USPS. Any person may request a copy of USPS records. The USPS must provide copies of such records, unless a FOIA exemption exists that shields the information from disclosure.
https://about.usps.com/who/legal/foiaThe Postal Service maintains an electronic FOIA library. Frequently requested records—previously released records that have been or are likely to become the subject of repeated requests—are part of the FOIA library. Before submitting a formal FOIA request, check the online library to see if the desired information is already accessible without charge and without delay.
https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/foia/readroom/welcome.htmHistory
Benjamin Franklin and the Postal Service, what was the nature of their association? It was closer than many Americans may know. To learn more about the role Franklin played in the early years of the Postal Service, see the 149-page and poignantly illustrated publication "The United States Postal Service: An American History." The publication is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing online and downloading.
https://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdf | Email: phistory@usps.govThe National Postal Museum houses one of the largest and most significant philatelic and postal history collections in the world and one of the most comprehensive library resources on philately and postal history. The museum’s exhibition galleries present America’s postal history from Colonial times to the present. Its collections contain prestigious international and U.S. postal issues and specialized collections, archival postal documents, and three-dimensional objects.
https://postalmuseum.si.eduMail Hold
Before submitting a "USPS Hold Mail" request, the requester must create a USPS account. Once an account is created, an account holder may print shipping labels, purchase stamps, print custom forms online, and manage a post office box.
https://reg.usps.com/login?app=HOLDMAIL&appURL=https%3A%2F%2Fholdmail.usps.com%2Fholdmail%2FNews
The USPS posts national news items on its "Newsroom" web page.
https://about.usps.com/newsroomPassports
Thousands of post offices accept passport applications on behalf of the Department of State. These post offices offer the products and services needed to acquire a first-time passport or renewal. At some locations, a passport photograph can be taken for an additional fee.
https://www.usps.com/international/passports.htmPhilatelic Sales
For information on available stamps, philatelic items, and collectibles, visit the "Stamps" web page.
https://store.usps.com/store/results/stamps/_/N-9y93lv#contentPhoto Galleries
Photo galleries are found in the "Our History" section of the USPS website. The galleries are six in number: airmail, buildings, equipment, people, railroads, and vehicles. Students of history can find some arresting images in the galleries.
https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/pho-gallery.htmPostal Certainty
The 30-second video highlights the long-standing culture of service associated with USPS mail carriers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuNLLZcSTKEPostal Explorer
The Postal Explorer website is a virtual library of postal information and tools for USPS customers, business mailers, and employees. It brings a wealth of postal requirements for mailing and shipping together, in one place, in an easy-to-use format.
https://pe.usps.comPostal Facts
The history of the USPS reaches back to the founding of the Nation. The "Postal Facts" web page has information on postal operations and revenue, as well as other information of a more trivial character.
https://facts.usps.comPostal Money Orders
Using a money order for sending money by mail is a safe alternative to cash and personal checks. A USPS money orders is affordable, widely accepted, and never expires. The money order receipt helps with tracking the payment and shows proof of value in case the money order is damaged or stolen or goes missing.
https://www.usps.com/international/money-transfers.htmPostmaster and Post Officer Finder
Most postmasters who were appointed after 1986 and some postmasters who were appointed before that year, going back to the 18th century, are included in the database. Currently, complete information on more than 15,000 post offices is available, and the number increases weekly.
https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postmasterfinder/welcome.htmPublic Opinion
On page 10 of its "FY2019 Annual Report to Congress," the USPS reported: "Public interest and opinion of our organization remain strong. In a poll released in September 2019, the Pew Research Center found that 90 percent of Americans held a favorable opinion of the Postal Service, a higher rating than any other Federal Government agency. Additionally, an April 2019 Gallup Poll found that three in four Americans (74 percent) rated the job performance of the organization as 'excellent' or 'good,' placing [it] as the highest rated Governmental agency. The Postal Service has achieved this top ranking every year Gallup has measured it (2014, 2017, and 2019)."
https://about.usps.com/what/financials/annual-reports/fy2019.pdfReading Areas
Reading areas are maintained in the library at USPS Headquarters on the 11th Floor. The library's holdings include historic, legal, regulatory, and other documents. Visitors must schedule an appointment before accessing the library. Phone, 202-268-2906.
Semipostal Stamps
Semipostal stamps are postage stamps with a postage value equal to the First-Class Mail single-piece, 1-ounce, stamp rate, plus an amount to fund a designated cause. Revenue from sales of semipostal stamps, less the postage paid and the costs incurred by the Postal Service, is distributed to designated agencies for support of the particular cause.
https://about.usps.com/what/corporate-social-responsibility/activities/semipostals.htmSite Indices and Maps
The USPS site index allows visitors to look for specific topics or to browse for content that aligns with their interests.
https://www.usps.com/globals/site-index.htmThe PostalPro site index allows visitors to look for specific topics or to browse for content that aligns with their interests.
https://postalpro.usps.com/site-indexThe U.S. Postal Inspection Service site map allows visitors to look for specific topics or to browse for content that aligns with their interests.
https://www.uspis.gov/sitemapThe Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum site map allows visitors to look for specific topics or to browse for content that aligns with their interests.
https://postalmuseum.si.edu/site-mapSocial Media
The USPS has a Facebook account.
https://www.facebook.com/USPSThe Postal Service tweets announcements and other newsworthy items on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/uspsThe Postal Service posts videos on its YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/uspstv/customStamp Collecting
Stamps are miniature gateways to the world. Collectors learn about art, biography, culture, geography, and history as they pursue their interests and build their collections. Stamp collecting has very few rules, and expensive equipment is not required to participate.
https://postalmuseum.si.edu/introduction-to-stamp-collectingSustainability
The USPS is committed to environmental stewardship and leading by example to ensure that we leave behind a healthy biosphere and habitable planet for future generations.
https://facts.usps.com/sustainabilityThe USPS 40-page "Annual Sustainability Report—2020" is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing online and downloading.
https://about.usps.com/what/corporate-social-responsibility/sustainabilityZip Codes
Looking for a Zip Code? Visit the "Look Up a Zip Code" web page.
https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.actionThe Sources of Information were updated 9–2020.