HR 373 101th Congress House

Deceptive Mailings Prevention Act of 1989

Official title: To amend title 39, United States Code, to designate as nonmailable matter solicitations of donations which could reasonably be misconstrued as a bill, invoice, or statement of account due, soliciations for the purchase of products or services which are provided either free of charge or at a lower price by the Federal Government, and solicitations which are offered in terms implying any Federal Government connection or endorsement, unless such matter contains an appropriate, conspicuous disclaimer, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 3, 1989 See on congress.gov

Government Operations and Politics Charitable contributionsDeceptive advertisingPostal servicePublishers and publishing

Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Feb 21, 1989

Executive Comment Requested from OMB and Postal Service.

Feb 10, 1989

Referred to the Subcommittee on Postal Personnel and Modernization.

Jan 3, 1989

Referred to the House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

Jan 3, 1989

Introduced in House

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Latest action February 21, 1989

Executive Comment Requested from OMB and Postal Service.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Deceptive Mailings Prevention Act of 1989 - Amends Federal law to declare as nonmailable any mail matter which is designed to resemble a bill, invoice, or statement of account due, but which in fact constitutes a solicitation of donations. Requires such mail matter to bear on its face in conspicuous type that it is a solicitation of donations and that the addressee is under no obligation to make any payment.

Declares as nonmailable any mail matter which constitutes a solicitation by a non-governmental entity: (1) for the purchase of products or services which are provided free of charge or at a lower price by the Federal Government, or which are substantially the same as such products or services; (2) for the purchase of products or services and which contains a seal, insignia, trade or brand name, or any other term or symbol which reasonably could be interpreted or construed as implying Federal Government connection, approval, or endorsement; and (3) for the contribution of funds and which contains a seal, insignia, trade or brand name, or any other term which could reasonably be interpreted or construed as implying Federal Government connection, approval, or endorsement. Allows the mailing of such matter if it contains a conspicuous disclaimer that it is not a Government document.

Establishes penalties for violations of this Act.

Bill text 1 version

Introduced in House Formatted Text

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 2

Postal Personnel and Modernization Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Post Office and Civil Service Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 5

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 373: Deceptive Mailings Prevention Act of 1989. 101st Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-373/

MLA

"H.R. 373: Deceptive Mailings Prevention Act of 1989." 101st Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-373/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 373, 101st Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-373/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 373: Deceptive Mailings Prevention Act of 1989](https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-373/)