[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 26, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4483-H4484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS SEMIPOSTAL STAMP 
                      REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2021

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6023) 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. 6023

       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 
     2021''.

     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 in the Senate, the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the Committee on 
     Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committee on Natural Resources 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 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Bentz) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days 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 Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6023, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds 
Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act is led by my friend and colleague 
on the Committee on Natural Resources, Representative   Jim Costa.
  The Multinational Species Conservation Fund Semipostal Stamps are a 
unique way for Americans to contribute to important conservation 
projects. Semipostal stamps are postage stamps sold at higher rates 
than standard stamps. When purchasing this type of stamp, Americans 
elect to contribute the extra charge to a specific fund or cause--in 
this case, the conservation of threatened species worldwide.
  African and Asian elephants, great apes, turtles, rhinos, and tigers 
are threatened from decades of habitat loss, poaching, pollution, and 
climate change. These stamps support efforts to tackle poaching, 
improve community engagement and outreach, restore habitat, and raise 
public awareness about wildlife trafficking. In fact, between 2011 and 
2017, these stamps raised almost $4 million for conservation projects.
  However, the U.S. Postal Service has had to stop selling them when 
the program's authorization ran out. Approximately 49 million stamps 
remained. Annual appropriations bills have been directing the Postal 
Service to continue selling the stamps but in a piecemeal fashion. This 
bill would fix it once and for all.
  The bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to sell all the rest of 
these stamps. In doing so, we can continue to support the ongoing 
conservation efforts for endangered species around the world.
  Let me thank Representative Costa for his work on the legislation, 
urge support for it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                            Committee on Oversight and Reform,

                                Washington, DC, February 28, 2022.
     Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
     Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Grijalva: I write concerning H.R. 6023, the 
     Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp 
     Reauthorization Act. This bill contains provisions within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. As a 
     result of your having consulted with me concerning the 
     provisions of the bill that fall within our Rule X 
     jurisdiction, I agree to forgo consideration of the bill, so 
     the bill may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
       The Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 6023, 
     we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter 
     contained in this or similar legislation, and we will be 
     appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar 
     legislation moves forward so we may address any remaining 
     issues within our Rule X jurisdiction. Further, I request 
     your support for the appointment of conferees from the 
     Committee on Oversight and Reform during any House-Senate 
     conference on this or related legislation.
       Finally, I would appreciate a response confirming this 
     understanding and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters 
     on this matter be included in the bill report filed by the 
     Committee on Natural Resources as well as in the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration thereof.
           Sincerely,
                                               Carolyn B. Maloney,
                                Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight
     and Reform.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Natural Resources,

                                    Washington, DC, April 5, 2022.
     Hon. Carolyn B. Maloney,
     Chair, Committee on Oversight
                                                       and Reform,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chair Maloney: I write to you concerning H.R. 6023, 
     the ``Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal 
     Stamp Reauthorization Act.''
       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. 6023 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. 
     Additionally, the Committee on Natural Resources confirms our 
     mutual understanding that the Committee on Oversight and 
     Reform will be appropriately consulted and involved as the 
     bill or similar legislation moves forward including the 
     appointment of conferees during any House-Senate conference 
     involving this or similar legislation.
       I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in 
     the bill report, if any, and 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.

  Mr. BENTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6023, a bipartisan bill 
sponsored by

[[Page H4484]]

Representative   Jim Costa of California to reauthorize the 
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp 
Reauthorization Act of 2013 and to require the U.S. Postal Service to 
sell all remaining Multinational Species Conservation Fund Semipostal 
Stamps.
  The Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 
2010 first directed the Postal Service to issue this stamp to support 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Multinational Species Conservation 
Fund, which provides grants, as previously outlined by the previous 
speaker.
  According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, stamp sales have raised 
more than $5.7 million for the fund as of 2019. The authorization for 
offering the stamp expired in 2017, at which point the Postal Service 
suspended the sale, despite having more than 49 million printed and 
unsold stamps on hand.
  H.R. 6023 would direct the Postal Service to sell the remainder of 
these stamps and report to Congress when all have been sold.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend Mr. Costa for his leadership on this 
legislation. I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6023, 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.

                          ____________________