[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 106 (Thursday, July 26, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8291-S8292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Baucus, Mr. 
        Bayh, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Biden, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, Mrs. 
        Boxer, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Bunning Mr. Burns, Mr. 
        Campbell, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Carnahan, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Cleland, 
        Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Collins, Mr. Craig, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Dayton, 
        Mr. DeWine, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Edwards, 
        Mr. Ensign, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Gregg, 
        Mr. Harkin, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Helms, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Inhofe, 
        Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Ms. 
        Landrieu, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Lott, Mr. Lugar, Mr. McCain, Ms. 
        Mikulski, Mr. Miller, Mr. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of 
        Florida, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Reid, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. 
        Schumer,

[[Page S8292]]

        Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mr. Smith 
        of Oregon, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Thomas, 
        Mr. Thompson, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. 
        Warner, Mr. Wellstone, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, and 
        Mr. Carper):
  S. 1256. A bill to provide for the reauthorization of the breast 
cancer research special postage stamp, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Hutchison and 
myself and 71 other Senate cosponsors, I rise today to offer 
legislation to extend the life of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp for 
an additional six years.
  I was surprised by the U.S. Postal Service's recent rule-making which 
could possibly terminate the Breast Cancer Research Stamp program by 
next July. The Postal Service effectively decided to permit only one 
stamp to be issued at a time to raise funds for a specific cause.
  This rule would therefore force competition for survival among a 
number of other potential and worthy fund-raising stamps. This action 
would be a terrible mistake.
  The Breast Cancer Research Stamp has demonstrated itself to be a 
highly effective and self-supporting fund-raiser.
  To date, the stamp has raised $21.1 million for research in addition 
to the $60,000 the Postal Service has recovered for administrative 
costs.
  Every year the stamp has existed, it has generated strong consumer 
sales. In two months of operation in fiscal year 1998, consumers bought 
9.2 million stamps, generating $700,000 for research on net sales of 
$3.68 million.
  In fiscal year 1999, consumers bought 101.2 million stamps, yielding 
7.5 million for research on net sales of $40.48 million.
  In fiscal year 2000, consumers purchased 119.9 million stamps, 
garnering $8 million for research on net sales of $47.96 million.
  In fiscal year 2001, the program continues to be vital. With two 
months remaining, consumers have already bought 75.2 million stamps, 
raising $4.8 million for research on sales of $30.08 million.
  In total, the American people have purchased 305 million Breast 
Cancer Research stamps. This means that, on average, more than one 
stamp has been purchased for every citizen in our Nation and 100 
million stamps were sold per year since the stamp was first introduced 
in August 1998.
  Clearly, the program continues to have a strong and committed 
customer base.
  We should also recognize that the National Cancer Institute and the 
Department of Defense have put these research dollars to good use by 
funding novel and innovative research in the area of breast cancer.
  According to Dr. Richard Klausner, National Cancer Institute 
director, these awards benefit ``over a dozen critical areas of breast 
cancer research.''
  Millions of Americans have bought the stamps to honor loved ones with 
the disease, to highlight their own personal battle with breast cancer, 
or to promote general public awareness. Virtually everywhere I travel, 
people tell me they buy the stamps in the hopes of helping to find a 
cure.
  Moreover, one cannot calculate in dollars or cents the value the 
stamp has played in increasing the visibility of the disease and the 
need for additional research funding.
  The life of such an extraordinary program should not prematurely end 
because of an administrative decision.
  There is still so much more to do because this disease has far 
reaching effects on our nation: breast cancer remains the leading cause 
of cancer among women. In 2001, approximately 192,200 women will get 
breast cancer. This year 40,200 women will die from breast cancer. 
Breast cancer represents 31 percent of all new cancers faced by women. 
Approximately 3 million women in the United States are living with 
breast cancer. Of these individuals, 2 million know they have the 
disease, and 1 million remain unaware of their condition.
  We have learned over the past few years how effective the Breast 
Cancer Research Stamp is at promoting public awareness of the disease. 
Yet, we still must reach out to the one million American women who do 
not know of their cancer.
  Some may argue that the Breast Cancer Stamp should end so that other 
semi-postal stamps can have their turn at raising funds for a cause.
  But it is a faulty premise that only one semi-postal stamp can 
succeed at a time. I believe there is room for multiple fund-raising 
stamps at the same time.
  Every year, the Postal Service issues dozens of commemorative steps. 
In 2001, for example, the Postal Service sold stamps commemorating 
topics as various as diabetes awareness, Black Heritage, and military 
veterans. Many of these stamps have sold extraordinarily well.
  The viability of a postage stamp depends on its appeal to postal 
customers. Over a three year period, the Breast Cancer Research has 
demonstrated a sustained and committed customer base.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this important legislation 
to grant the Breast Cancer Stamp another six years. Every dollar raised 
to fight the disease can help save lives.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1256

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

     SECTION 1. REAUTHORIZATION OF BREAST CANCER RESEARCH SPECIAL 
                   POSTAGE STAMP.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Breast 
     Cancer Research Stamp Act of 2001''.
       (b) Reauthorization and Inapplicability of Limitation.--
       (1) In general.--Section 414 of title 39, United States 
     Code, is amended by striking subsection (g) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(g) For purposes of section 416 (including any regulation 
     prescribed under subsection (e)(1)(C) of that section), the 
     special postage stamp issued under this section shall not 
     apply to any limitation relating to whether more than 1 
     semipostal may be offered for sale at the same time.
       ``(h) This section shall cease to be effective after July 
     29, 2008.''.
       (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by this subsection 
     shall take effect on the earlier of--
       (A) the date of enactment of this Act; or
       (B) July 29, 2002.
       (c) Rate of Postage.--Section 414(b) of title 39, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``of not to exceed 25 
     percent'' and inserting ``of not less than 15 percent''; and
       (2) by adding after the sentence following paragraph (3) 
     the following: ``The special rate of postage of an individual 
     stamp under this section shall be an amount that is evenly 
     divisible by 5.''.

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