[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.

                          ____________________