[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 186 (Wednesday, November 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H9086-H9087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS SEMIPOSTAL STAMP
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2019
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1446) to require the United States Postal Service to
continue selling the Multinational Species Conservation Funds
Semipostal Stamp until all remaining stamps are sold, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1446
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 ``Multinational Species
Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION; REQUIREMENT TO SELL ALL STAMPS.
(a) In General.--Section 2(c) of the Multinational Species
Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010 (39 U.S.C.
416 note; Public Law 111-241) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``of at least 6 years,''; and
(B) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``and ending not earlier than the date on which
the United States Postal Service provides notice to Congress
under paragraph (5)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Requirement to sell all stamps printed.--
``(A) In general.--The United States Postal Service shall
sell each copy of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund
Semipostal Stamp that the United States Postal Service prints
under this Act.
``(B) Notification of congress.--The United States Postal
Service shall notify the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives when all
copies of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund
Semipostal Stamp printed under this Act have been sold.''.
(b) Retroactive Applicability.--The amendments made by
subsection (a) shall take effect as if enacted on the day
after the date of enactment of the Multinational Species
Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of
2013 (Public Law 113-165; 128 Stat. 1878).
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Huffman) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
McClintock) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1446. It is a bill that
would require the U.S. Postal Service to continue selling the
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp. It would
require those continued sales until such time as the remaining stamps
are sold.
Now, since 2010, these stamps have been sold by the U.S. Postal
Service to support international conservation efforts, but the
authorization for these sales has expired, leaving 49 million stamps
unsold--printed, but unsold. Americans care deeply about wildlife, and
by purchasing these stamps, they can support the Multinational Species
Conservation Fund, which includes five grant programs that support the
conservation of African and Asian elephants, great apes, marine
turtles, rhinos and tigers.
Between 2011 and 2017, the stamp sales from this program generated
$3.9 million, and that money went to conservation projects related to
antipoaching, capacity building, community engagement and outreach,
habitat restoration, and raising public awareness of wildlife
trafficking.
Mr. Speaker, 49 million stamps have already been printed. They are
sitting and waiting to be sold. This bill doesn't authorize the
printing of any new stamps, but it does direct the U.S. Postal Service
to continue selling the stamps it has printed until they are exhausted.
At a time when so many species are threatened with extinction due to
climate change, habitat loss, and exploitation, we must do more to
protect wildlife.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have another speaker at this point, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, September 30, 2019.
Hon. Elijah E. Cummings,
Chair, Committee on Oversight and Reform,
House of Representatives, Washington DC.
Dear Chair Cummings: I write to you concerning H.R. 1446
the, ``Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal
Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2019.''
I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions
that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on
Oversight and Reform. I acknowledge that your Committee will
not formally consider H.R. 1446 and agree that the inaction
of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any
future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in the
bill that fall within your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction.
I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in
the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the
bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this
legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you
as this measure moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Raul M. Grijalva,
Chair,
House Natural Resources Committee.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Oversight and Reform,
Washington, DC, October 16, 2019.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Grijalva: I am writing to you concerning the
bill H.R. 1446, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds
Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2019. There are
certain provisions in the legislation which fall within the
Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.
In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed
expeditiously to consideration of this important bill, I am
willing to waive this Committee's right to consider the bill.
I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration
of the bill, the Committee does not waive any future
jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in
the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request
that you urge the Speaker to name members of this Committee
to any conference committee which is named to consider such
provisions.
Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R.
1446 and into the Congressional Record during consideration
of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the
cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this
matter and others between our respective committees.
Sincerely,
Elijah E. Cummings,
Chairman.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Clay for this legislation and for his being
amenable to changes that make this bill one that every Member can
support.
This legislation raises money through the voluntary purchases of a
special stamp that in turn funds valuable conservation efforts of
iconic global species such as tigers, elephants, rhinos, great apes,
marine turtles, and their habitats.
Anyone who wants to help these efforts can do so by purchasing these
stamps; a small surcharge for which is then deposited in the
Multinational Species Conservation Funds. These funds in turn provide
grants for conservation work around the globe. To date, over $5.7
million have been raised
[[Page H9087]]
by this low-key and entirely voluntary effort.
While the authority to sell these popular stamps has expired, the
stockpile of 49 million stamps still exists. Mr. Clay accepted
amendments to allow the stockpile to be depleted before new stamps are
printed that prevents waste and protects taxpayers.
International conservation of these important species is a shared
goal of both Democrats and Republicans, and this bill is a very good
example of that seemingly rare opportunity for all of us to come
together for the benefit of wildlife, their habitat, and, of course,
the American people who enjoy both for generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
McClintock). It is good to have bipartisan support for this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1446, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________