Postal Service

semi-autonomous organization established by the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, which created it from a federal government department. The USPS is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and is responsible for the collection, distribution, and delivery of mail. The regulations, procedures, and policies of the USPS are detailed in the functional manuals, including the Domestic Mail Manual and the International Mail Manual. The USPS provides several levels of service, known as classes, primarily including First-Class (letter mail), periodicals (magazines and newspapers), Standard Mail (A) (catalogs and direct-mail packages), and Standard Mail (B)(books and parcels). Other services provided include Express Mail and mailgrams. The Postal Service provides mailers with a customer service representative who assists them in utilizing the services of the USPS to best advantage. The USPS is managed by the U.S. postal board of governors, headed by the Postmaster General.