The financially struggling U.S. Postal Service has proposed a 3-cent increase in the price of first-class mail, beginning in January, NBC News reported. The increase would bring the cost of stamps to 49 cents from 46 cents. Under federal law the Postal Service must cite exceptional circumstances and gain approval from the independent Postal Regulatory Commission before raising prices more than inflation, according to the AP. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has said the agency expects to lose $6 billion this year. Congress is already considering a proposal to save the Postal Service money by ending most Saturday mail deliveries.
