18 U.S.C. § 1717 Letters and Writings As Nonmailable

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: prefLabel,label,title,shortLabel
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)
• Citation: 18 U.S.C. § 1717

(a) Every letter, writing, circular, postal card, picture, print, engraving, photograph, newspaper, pamphlet, book, or other publication, matter or thing, in violation of sections 499, 506, 793, 794, 915, 954, 956, 957, 960, 964, 1017, 1542, 1543, 1544 or 2388 of this title or which contains any matter advocating or urging treason, insurrection, or forcible resistance to any law of the United States is nonmailable and shall not be conveyed in the mails or delivered from any post office or by any letter carrier.

(b) Whoever uses or attempts to use the mails or Postal Service for the transmission of any matter declared by this section to be nonmailable, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years or both.

Cite as 18 U.S.C. § 1717

Source: June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 782; Pub. L. 86-682, §12(b), Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 708; Pub. L. 91-375, §6(j)(27), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 780; Pub. L. 101-647, title XXXV, §3552(a), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4926; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§343, 344, 345, 346 (June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title XII, §§1-3, title XIII, §1, 40 Stat. 230, 231; Mar. 28, 1940, ch. 72, §9, 54 Stat. 80).

Section consolidates said sections 343-345 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. The provision as to opening letters was incorporated in paragraph (c).