[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1444 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1444

To provide for free mailing privileges for personal correspondence and 
 parcels sent to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty in 
                          Iraq or Afghanistan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2007

 Mrs. Clinton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for free mailing privileges for personal correspondence and 
 parcels sent to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty in 
                          Iraq or Afghanistan.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supply Our Soldiers Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. POSTAL BENEFITS PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVING 
              IN IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN.

    (a) Availability of Postal Benefits.--The Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the United States Postal Service, shall provide for a 
program under which postal benefits are provided to qualified 
individuals in accordance with this section.
    (b) Qualified Individual.--In this section, the term ``qualified 
individual'' means a member of the Armed Forces on active duty (as 
defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code) who--
            (1) is serving in Iraq or Afghanistan; or
            (2) is hospitalized at a facility under the jurisdiction of 
        the Department of Defense as a result of a disease or injury 
        incurred as a result of service in Iraq or Afghanistan.
    (c) Postal Benefits Described.--
            (1) Vouchers.--The postal benefits provided under the 
        program shall consist of such coupons or other similar evidence 
        of credit, whether in printed, electronic, or other format (in 
        this section referred to as a ``voucher''), as the Secretary of 
        Defense, in consultation with the Postal Service, shall 
        determine, which entitle the bearer or user to make qualified 
        mailings free of postage.
            (2) Qualified mailing.--In this section, the term 
        ``qualified mailing'' means the mailing of a single mail piece 
        which--
                    (A) is first-class mail (including any sound-
                recorded or video-recorded communication) not exceeding 
                13 ounces in weight and having the character of 
                personal correspondence or parcel post not exceeding 10 
                pounds in weight;
                    (B) is sent from within an area served by a United 
                States post office; and
                    (C) is addressed to a qualified individual.
            (3) Coordination rule.--Postal benefits under the program 
        are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any reduced rates of 
        postage or other similar benefits which might otherwise be 
        available by or under law, including any rates of postage 
        resulting from the application of section 3401(b) of title 39, 
        United States Code.
    (d) Number of Vouchers.--A member of the Armed Forces shall be 
eligible for one voucher for every second month in which the member is 
a qualified individual.
    (e) Limitations on Use; Duration.--A voucher may not be used--
            (1) for more than a single qualified mailing; or
            (2) after the earlier of--
                    (A) the expiration date of the voucher, as 
                designated by the Secretary of Defense; or
                    (B) the end of the one-year period beginning on the 
                date on which the regulations prescribed under 
                subsection (f) take effect.
    (f) Regulations.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense (in consultation with 
the Postal Service) shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
necessary to carry out the program, including--
            (1) procedures by which vouchers will be provided or made 
        available in timely manner to qualified individuals; and
            (2) procedures to ensure that the number of vouchers 
        provided or made available with respect to any qualified 
        individual complies with subsection (d).
    (g) Transfers to Postal Service.--
            (1) Based on estimates.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
        transfer to the Postal Service, out of amounts available to 
        carry out the program and in advance of each calendar quarter 
        during which postal benefits may be used under the program, an 
        amount equal to the amount of postal benefits that the 
        Secretary estimates will be used during such quarter, reduced 
        or increased (as the case may be) by any amounts by which the 
        Secretary finds that a determination under this section for a 
        prior quarter was greater than or less than the amount finally 
        determined for such quarter.
            (2) Based on final determination.--A final determination of 
        the amount necessary to correct any previous determination 
        under this section, and any transfer of amounts between the 
        Postal Service and the Department of Defense based on that 
        final determination, shall be made not later than six months 
        after the end of the one-year period referred to in subsection 
        (e)(2)(B).
            (3) Consultation required.--All estimates and 
        determinations under this subsection of the amount of postal 
        benefits under the program used in any period shall be made by 
        the Secretary of Defense in consultation with the Postal 
        Service.
    (h) Funding.--Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated for the 
Department of Defense for fiscal year 2008 for military personnel, 
$10,000,000 shall be for postal benefits provided in this section.
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