Post office proposes requiring ID on mail
Regulation offered in response to anthrax scare
Monday, October 27, 2003 Posted: 0112 GMT ( 9:12 AM HKT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Postal Service is taking a first step toward
requiring all senders of mail to identify themselves, a move prompted by the
anthrax scare two years ago this month. Five people died of anthrax
infection and 13 others became sick when an unknown person or persons sent
several U.S. senators and media organizations envelopes containing the
deadly toxin.

As a first step, the Postal Service has proposed a regulation that would
require sender identification of discount-rate mail. That includes
first-class mail, periodicals, standard mail or package-services mailing
eligible for any discounted postage rate. Printed in the Federal Register on
October 21, the revision of the Domestic Mail Manual is open for public
comment until November 20. "Sender identification of all discount mailings
would serve as a tool in identifying the senders of a large portion of the
mailstream. It could also facilitate investigations into the origin of
suspicious mail," the proposal said.

The Postal Service said two congressional committees urged it to "explore
the concept of sender identification, including the feasibility of using
unique, traceable identifiers" -- something likely to draw criticism from
privacy advocates. The President's Commission on the U.S. Postal Service
also recommended the use of sender identification recently "for every piece
of mail." Its report, sent to President Bush in late July, said "requiring
sender-identification for discount-rate mail is an initial step on the road
to intelligent mail." The report said "intelligent mail" could allow mail
tracking and "significantly improve mail security through enhanced
traceability."

Because many discount mailings already meet that requirement, the Postal
Service said its proposed rule would have little effect on most of these
mailers. Others, however, may have to change their procedures to comply with
slightly tighter requirements.

Post office proposes requiring ID on mail
Regulation offered in response to anthrax scare
Monday, October 27, 2003 Posted: 0112 GMT ( 9:12 AM HKT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Postal Service is taking a first step toward
requiring all senders of mail to identify themselves, a move prompted by the
anthrax scare two years ago this month. Five people died of anthrax
infection and 13 others became sick when an unknown person or persons sent
several U.S. senators and media organizations envelopes containing the
deadly toxin.

As a first step, the Postal Service has proposed a regulation that would
require sender identification of discount-rate mail. That includes
first-class mail, periodicals, standard mail or package-services mailing
eligible for any discounted postage rate. Printed in the Federal Register on
October 21, the revision of the Domestic Mail Manual is open for public
comment until November 20. "Sender identification of all discount mailings
would serve as a tool in identifying the senders of a large portion of the
mailstream. It could also facilitate investigations into the origin of
suspicious mail," the proposal said.

The Postal Service said two congressional committees urged it to "explore
the concept of sender identification, including the feasibility of using
unique, traceable identifiers" -- something likely to draw criticism from
privacy advocates. The President's Commission on the U.S. Postal Service
also recommended the use of sender identification recently "for every piece
of mail." Its report, sent to President Bush in late July, said "requiring
sender-identification for discount-rate mail is an initial step on the road
to intelligent mail." The report said "intelligent mail" could allow mail
tracking and "significantly improve mail security through enhanced
traceability."

Because many discount mailings already meet that requirement, the Postal
Service said its proposed rule would have little effect on most of these
mailers. Others, however, may have to change their procedures to comply with
slightly tighter requirements.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Postal Service is taking a first step toward
requiring all senders of mail to identify themselves, a move prompted by the
anthrax scare two years ago this month. Five people died of anthrax
infection and 13 others became sick when an unknown person or persons sent
several U.S. senators and media organizations envelopes containing the
deadly toxin.