((a)) The initial capital of the Postal Service shall consist of the equity, as reflected in the budget of the President, of the Government of the United States in the former Post Office Department. The value of assets and the amount of liabilities transferred to the Postal Service upon the commencement of operations of the Postal Service shall be determined by the Postal Service subject to the approval of the Comptroller General, in accordance with the following guidelines:

((1)) Assets shall be valued on the basis of original cost less depreciation, to the extent that such value can be determined. The value recorded on the former Post Office Department’s books of account shall be prima facie evidence of asset value.

((2)) All liabilities attributable to operations of the former Post Office Department shall remain liabilities of the Government of the United States, except that upon commencement of operations of the Postal Service, the unexpended balances of appropriations made to, held or used by, or available to the former Post Office Department and all liabilities chargeable thereto shall become assets and liabilities, respectively, of the Postal Service.

((b)) The capital of the Postal Service at any time shall consist of its assets, including the balance in the Fund and the balance in the Competitive Products Fund, less its liabilities.

((c)) The Postal Service, and the Administrator of General Services where properties under the jurisdiction of the Administrator are involved, with the approval of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall determine which Federal properties shall be transferred to the Postal Service and which shall remain under the jurisdiction of any other department, agency, or establishment of the Government of the United States upon the commencement of operations of the Postal Service. The transfer shall be accomplished at the time of or as near as possible to the commencement of operations of the Postal Service and the valuation of the assets and capital of the Postal Service shall be adjusted accordingly. The following properties shall be included in the transfer:

((1)) the mail equipment shops located in Washington, District of Columbia;

((2)) all machinery, equipment, and appurtenances of the former Post Office Department;

((3)) all real property whose ownership was acquired by the Postmaster General under former , as in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this section, or which immediately prior to such effective date, is under the administration of the former Post Office Department for the purpose of constructing a postal building from funds appropriated or transferred to the former Post Office Department, together with all funds appropriated or allocated therefor;

((4)) all real property 55 percent or more of which is occupied by or under control of the former Post Office Department immediately prior to the effective date of this section;

((5)) all contracts, records, and documents relating to the operation of the departmental service and the postal field service of the former Post Office Department; and

((6)) all other property and assets of the former Post Office Department.

((d)) After the commencement of operations of the Postal Service, the President is authorized to transfer to the Postal Service, and the Postal Service is authorized to transfer to other departments, agencies, or independent establishments of the Government of the United States, with or without reimbursement, any property of that department, agency, or independent establishment and the Postal Service, respectively, when the public interest would be served by such transfer.