[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 704 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 704

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2009

  Mr. King of New York (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 2009''.

SEC. 2. POSTAL BENEFITS PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the 
United States Postal Service, shall provide for a program under which 
postal benefits shall be provided to qualified individuals in 
accordance with succeeding provisions of this Act.
    (b) Qualified Individual.--For purposes of this Act, the term 
``qualified individual'' means an individual who is--
            (1) a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on 
        active duty (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United 
        States Code); and
            (2)(A) serving in Iraq or Afghanistan; or
            (B) hospitalized at a facility under the jurisdiction of 
        the Armed Forces of the United States as a result of a disease 
        or injury incurred as a result of service in Iraq or 
        Afghanistan.
    (c) Postal Benefits Described.--
            (1) In general.--The postal benefits provided under this 
        Act shall consist of such coupons or other similar evidence of 
        credit (whether in printed, electronic, or other format, and 
        hereinafter in this Act referred to as ``vouchers'') as the 
        Secretary of Defense (in consultation with the Postal Service) 
        shall determine, entitling the bearer or user to make qualified 
        mailings free of postage.
            (2) Qualified mailing.--For purposes of this Act, the term 
        ``qualified mailing'' means the mailing of a single mail piece 
        which--
                    (A) is described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
                paragraph (3);
                    (B) is sent from within an area served by a United 
                States post office; and
                    (C) is addressed to a qualified individual.
            (3) Mail described.--Mail described in this paragraph is--
                    (A) any first-class mail (including any sound- or 
                video-recorded communication) not exceeding 13 ounces 
                in weight and having the character of personal 
                correspondence; and
                    (B) parcel post not exceeding 15 pounds in weight.
            (4) Limitations.--
                    (A) Number.--An individual shall be eligible for 1 
                voucher for each month in which such individual is a 
                qualified individual.
                    (B) Use.--Any such voucher may not be used--
                            (i) for more than a single qualified 
                        mailing; or
                            (ii) after the earlier of--
                                    (I) the expiration date of such 
                                voucher, as designated by the Secretary 
                                of Defense; or
                                    (II) the last day of the 1-year 
                                period referred to in section 4.
            (5) Coordination rule.--Postal benefits under this Act 
        shall be 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) 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 any regulations necessary to carry 
out this Act, including--
            (1) procedures by which vouchers will be provided or made 
        available in timely manner to persons duly identified by 
        qualified individuals to receive those vouchers; and
            (2) procedures to ensure that the number of vouchers 
        provided or made available with respect to any qualified 
        individual complies with subsection (c)(4)(A).

SEC. 3. FUNDING.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Department of Defense a sum determined by the Department of Defense to 
be equal to the expenses incurred by the Department in providing the 
benefits described in section 2(c).
    (b) Transfers to Postal Service.--
            (1) Based on estimates.--The Department of Defense shall 
        transfer to the Postal Service, out of any amount so 
        appropriated and in advance of each calendar quarter during 
        which postal benefits under this Act may be used, an amount 
        equal to the amount of postal benefits that the Department of 
        Defense estimates will be used during such quarter, reduced or 
        increased (as the case may be) by any amounts by which the 
        Department 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 6 months 
        after the end of the 1-year period referred to in section 4.
    (c) Consultation Required.--All estimates and determinations under 
this section of the amount of postal benefits under this Act used in 
any period shall be made by the Department of Defense in consultation 
with the Postal Service.

SEC. 4. DURATION.

    The postal benefits under this Act shall apply with respect to mail 
matter sent during the 1-year period beginning on the date on which the 
regulations under section 2(d) take effect.
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