[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6832-H6834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS SEMIPOSTAL STAMP ACT OF 2010

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur 
in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1454) to provide for the 
issuance of a Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal 
Stamp.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:

       Senate amendment:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Multinational Species 
     Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS SEMIPOSTAL 
                   STAMP.

       (a) In General.--In order to afford a convenient way for 
     members of the public to contribute

[[Page H6833]]

     to funding for the operations supported by the Multinational 
     Species Conservation Funds, the United States Postal Service 
     shall issue a semipostal stamp (hereinafter in this Act 
     referred to as the ``Multinational Species Conservation Funds 
     Semipostal Stamp'') in accordance with succeeding provisions 
     of this section.
       (b) Cost and Use.--
       (1) In general.--The Multinational Species Conservation 
     Funds Semipostal Stamp shall be offered at a cost equal to 
     the cost of mailing a letter weighing 1 ounce or less at the 
     nonautomation single-piece first-ounce letter rate, in effect 
     at the time of purchase, plus a differential of not less than 
     15 percent.
       (2) Voluntary use.--The use of any semipostal issued under 
     this section shall be voluntary on the part of postal 
     patrons.
       (3) Special rate.--The special rate of postage of an 
     individual stamp under this section shall be an amount that 
     is evenly divisible by 5.
       (c) Other Terms and Conditions.--The issuance and sale of 
     the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp 
     shall be governed by the provisions of section 416 of title 
     39, United States Code, and regulations issued under such 
     section, subject to subsection (b) and the following:
       (1) Disposition of proceeds.--
       (A) In general.--All amounts becoming available from the 
     sale of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds 
     Semipostal Stamp (as determined under section 416(d) of such 
     title 39) shall be transferred to the United States Fish and 
     Wildlife Service, for the purpose described in subsection 
     (a), through payments which shall be made at least twice a 
     year, with the proceeds to be divided equally among the 
     African Elephant Conservation Fund, the Asian Elephant 
     Conservation Fund, the Great Ape Conservation Fund, the 
     Marine Turtle Conservation Fund, the Rhinoceros and Tiger 
     Conservation Fund, and other international wildlife 
     conservation funds authorized by the Congress after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act and administered by the Service 
     as part of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
       (B) Proceeds not to be offset.--In accordance with section 
     416(d)(4) of such title 39, amounts becoming available from 
     the sale of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds 
     Semipostal Stamp (as so determined) shall not be taken into 
     account in any decision relating to the level of 
     appropriations or other Federal funding to be furnished in 
     any year to--
       (i) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; or
       (ii) any of the funds identified in subparagraph (A).
       (2) Duration.--The Multinational Species Conservation Funds 
     Semipostal Stamp shall be made available to the public for a 
     period of at least 2 years, beginning no later than 12 months 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (3) Limitation.--The Multinational Species Conservation 
     Funds Semipostal Stamp shall not be subject to, or taken into 
     account for purposes of applying, any limitation under 
     section 416(e)(1)(C) of such title 39.
       (4) Restriction on use of funds.--Amounts transferred under 
     paragraph (1) shall not be used to fund or support the 
     Wildlife Without Borders Program or to supplement funds made 
     available for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation 
     Fund.
       (d) Definition.--For purposes of this Act, the term 
     ``semipostal stamp'' refers to a stamp described in section 
     416(a)(1) of title 39, United States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) and the gentleman from Washington 
(Mr. Hastings) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1454, the 
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2009, 
that was introduced by our colleague from South Carolina, Henry Brown.
  The Multinational Species Conservation Funds promote wildlife 
conservation around the world for keystone species, including great 
apes, tigers, and elephants. These programs consistently generate high-
quality conservation projects and leverage $3 or $4 from non-Federal 
contributors for every Federal dollar spent.
  Mr. Speaker, revenues generated from the sale of a wildlife 
semipostal stamp, as authorized under this legislation, would fund 
these important grant programs. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1454 and 
supported its original passage by the House nearly a year ago. I urge 
my colleagues to support the amended version and send it on to the 
President so it may become law.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, having Congress authorize semipostal stamps to raise 
funds to support causes is indeed a rare event. As the ranking 
Republican on the Insular Affairs, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee, 
the gentleman from South Carolina, Henry Brown, was tireless in 
clearing this bill through the Committee on Government Oversight and 
Reform, the Committee on Natural Resources, and through the Senate. So 
I want to compliment the gentleman from South Carolina for his 
persistence and leadership in crafting this bipartisan bill.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
author of this resolution, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Brown).
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. I appreciate the gentleman from the 
State of Washington's yielding, my good friend Doc Hastings; and also 
Dr. Christensen for her leadership on the other side of the aisle.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1454, a bill I was 
pleased to introduce along with the subcommittee chairlady, Madeleine 
Bordallo and 153 other Members of the House of Representatives.
  This legislation was unanimously adopted by the House of 
Representatives on December 7, 2009, and it was approved by the Senate 
on July 29 of this year. Prior to its passage, the Senate made several 
modifications to H.R. 1454. These included a reduction in the duration 
of time that the semipostal stamp will be available to the public and a 
stipulation that only one flagship species may be depicted on the 
stamps.
  I reviewed these changes and believe they do not undermine the 
fundamental goal of this measure, which is to create an alternative 
funding source for highly endangered African and Asian elephants, 
rhinoceroses and tigers, great apes and marine turtles at no cost to 
U.S. taxpayers.
  While it is true that the U.S. Postal Service has had statutory 
authority to issue semipostal stamps for over a decade, it has been the 
Congress that has directed that they be issued for breast cancer 
research, 9/11 responders, and victims of domestic violence.
  Under H.R. 1454, the American public would have the opportunity to 
support these six multinational species by purchasing these semipostal 
stamps. They would be sold at a premium price, and after the Postal 
Service has deducted all of its administrative costs, the remaining 
proceeds will be transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It 
will be the Service's responsibility to select those conservation 
projects that best achieve the goal of protecting the remaining 
populations of these highly imperiled animals.
  I am confident that once these stamps are available, they will be 
extremely popular with the American people. I have been assured that 
they will be widely sold at aquariums, post offices, and zoos 
throughout this country. Based on previous experience, we know that a 
large number of people will buy these semipostals and will never use 
them. As a result, the Postal Service will realize a significant profit 
from their sale.
  This legislation offers us a unique opportunity to establish a new 
creative funding mechanism, for a limited period of time, at no cost to 
the American taxpayer, to help save some of the most iconic and 
endangered species on this planet.
  Finally, I want to thank those Members who co-sponsored this 
legislation, and also Chairman Rahall and ranking Republican Doc 
Hastings, Chairman Ed Towns, and ranking Republican Darrell Issa, 
Chairman Joe Lieberman and Senators Sam Brownback and Lindsey Graham, 
as well as my friend from Columbia, South Carolina, the Honorable Jim 
Clyburn, for his assisting in this effort.
  I would also like to express my appreciation to the more than 40 
conservation organizations that have assisted in this effort, including 
the Wildlife Conservation Society, the World Wildlife Fund, the Humane 
Society of the United States, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 
Feld Entertainment, and Safari Club International.

                              {time}  1540

  These groups worked tirelessly for the passage of this bill. I thank 
them.

[[Page H6834]]

I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 1454. There is no question it will help 
stamp out extinction.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I also want to mention our colleague 
the gentlewoman from Guam's strong support for this bill. Though Ms. 
Bordallo could not be here today to speak in support of H.R. 1454 as 
she is on Guam conducting official business, she asked that I relay her 
thanks to the gentleman from South Carolina for his efforts with this 
legislation, and for the bipartisan manner in which he has worked with 
her and all of our Members on the Democratic side of the aisle as the 
ranking member of the subcommittee.
  I too am among the over 150 cosponsors of H.R. 1454, and recognize 
its value as a longtime member of the International Conservation 
Caucus. I continue to urge a ``yes'' vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) that the House 
suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 
1454.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the Senate amendment was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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