[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 98 (Thursday, July 15, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8239-S8240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself and Ms. Mikulski):
  S. 2676. A bill to amend chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, 
to provide for the issuance of a semipostal stamp in order to provide 
funding for childhood drinking prevention and education, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce 
legislation creating the childhood drinking prevention semi-postal 
stamp.
  Alcohol is the number one substance used and abused by America's 
children. Nearly a third of children begin drinking before the age of 
13, and forty percent of children who begin drinking by age 15 will 
develop alcohol abuse or dependence later in life.
  I do not believe most parents or adults intentionally ignore this 
issue, however many Americans do not realize the prevalence and 
seriousness of childhood drinking. Several national surveys, including 
those conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and 
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 
demonstrate the serious consequences associated with early alcohol use.
  For example, in 2002, 1.5 million youths between the ages of 12 to 17 
needed treatment for alcohol abuse. Early alcohol use is more likely to 
kill or injure young people than all illegal drugs combined.
  If the onset of drinking is delayed, a child's risk of serious 
alcohol problems could be decreased or even prevented. That is why I am 
pleased to propose the passage of a semi-postal stamp on childhood 
drinking prevention. A semi-postal stamp will publicize this important 
children's health issue in every home, school, and community across the 
nation.
  Profits from the childhood drinking prevention stamp would be 
dedicated to support education and prevention efforts. I would also 
provide a further platform for millions of Americans to raise awareness 
about the importance of keeping children alcohol free.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in enacting this important 
legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
this bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2676

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

     SECTION 1. SEMIPOSTAL STAMP TO BENEFIT CHILDHOOD DRINKING 
                   PREVENTION AND EDUCATION.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, 
     is amended by inserting after section 414 the following:

[[Page S8240]]

     ``Sec. 414a. Special postage stamps to benefit childhood 
       drinking prevention and education

       ``(a) In this section the term `childhood drinking' means 
     the consumption of alcoholic beverages by children who are 
     between 9 and 15 years of age.
       ``(b) In order to afford the public a convenient way to 
     contribute to funding for childhood drinking prevention and 
     education, the Postal Service shall establish a special rate 
     of postage for first-class mail under this section.
       ``(c)(1) The rate of postage established under this 
     section--
       ``(A) shall be equal to the regular first-class rate of 
     postage, plus a differential of not to exceed 25 percent;
       ``(B) shall be set by the Governors in accordance with such 
     procedures as the Governors shall by regulation prescribe (in 
     lieu of the procedures under chapter 36); and
       ``(C) shall be offered as an alternative to the regular 
     first-class rate of postage.
       ``(2) The use of the special rate of postage established 
     under this section shall be voluntary on the part of postal 
     patrons.
       ``(d)(1) Amounts becoming available for childhood drinking 
     prevention and education under this section shall be paid to 
     the Department of Health and Human Services. Payments under 
     this section shall be made under such arrangements as the 
     Postal Service shall by mutual agreement with the Department 
     of Health and Human Services establish in order to carry out 
     the purposes of this section, except that, under those 
     arrangements, payments to the Department of Health and Human 
     Services shall be made at least twice a year.
       ``(2) In this subsection, the term `amounts becoming 
     available for childhood drinking prevention and education 
     under this section' means--
       ``(A) the total amounts received by the Postal Service that 
     it would not have received but for the enactment of this 
     section, reduced by
       ``(B) an amount sufficient to cover full costs incurred by 
     the Postal Service in carrying out this section, including 
     those attributable to the printing, sale, and distribution of 
     stamps under this section,

     as determined by the Postal Service under regulations that it 
     shall prescribe.
       ``(e) It is the sense of the Congress that nothing in this 
     section should--
       ``(1) directly or indirectly cause a net decrease in total 
     Federal funding for childhood drinking prevention and 
     education below the level that would otherwise have been 
     received but for the enactment of this section; or
       ``(2) affect regular first-class rates of postage or any 
     other regular rates of postage.
       ``(f) Special postage stamps under this section shall be 
     made available to the public beginning on such date as the 
     Postal Service shall by regulation prescribe, but in no event 
     later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
     section.
       ``(g) The Postmaster General shall include in each report 
     rendered under section 2402 with respect to any period during 
     any portion of which this section is in effect information 
     concerning the operation of this section, except that, at a 
     minimum, each shall include--
       ``(1) the total amount described in subsection (d)(2)(A) 
     which was received by the Postal Service during the period 
     covered by such report; and
       ``(2) of the amount under paragraph (1), how much (in the 
     aggregate and by category) was required for the purposes 
     described in subsection (d)(2)(B).
       ``(h) Section 416 shall not apply to this section. 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.
       ``(i) This section shall cease to be effective 2 years 
     after the date of enactment of this section.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Table of sections.--The table of sections for chapter 4 
     of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking the 
     item relating to section 414 and inserting the following:

``414. Special postage stamps to benefit breast cancer research.
``414a. Special postage stamps to benefit childhood drinking prevention 
              and education.''.

       (2) Amendment to heading.--The heading for section 414 of 
     title 39, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 414. Special postage stamps to benefit breast cancer 
       research''.

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