[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 211 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H5885-H5886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REAUTHORIZATION OF JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONSERVATION AND DESIGN PROGRAM
ACT OF 1994
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1098) to reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and
Design Program Act of 1994, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
[[Page H5886]]
H.R. 1098
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REAUTHORIZATION OF JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONSERVATION
AND DESIGN PROGRAM ACT OF 1994.
(a) Definition of State.--Section 5 of the Junior Duck
Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C.
719b-1) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``and'' after ``Guam,''; and
(2) by striking ``, and any other territory or possession''
after ``Virgin Islands''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 6 of the
Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994
(16 U.S.C. 719c) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``2006 through 2010''
and inserting ``2025 through 2031''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) No Additional Funds Authorized.--Funds authorized
under subsection (a) may, as provided in appropriations Acts,
only come from within amounts authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretary to carry out the duties of the Federal Duck
Stamp Office.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr.
Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
general leave
Mr. STAUBER. 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 H.R. 1098, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1098 to reauthorize the Junior
Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994, sponsored by
Representative Scholten from Michigan.
Participants in the Junior Duck Stamp program take part in a
waterfowl-themed art competition, and the winning artwork is
transformed into collectible stamps. The proceeds from these stamps
support efforts to connect the next generation of Americans to the
outdoors.
The legislation before us would reauthorize the program through
fiscal year 2031. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1098 would reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp
Conservation and Design Program, a small but mighty initiative that has
inspired young conservationists for over three decades.
As the Fish and Wildlife Service puts it, this dynamic art and
science curriculum reaches students from kindergarten through high
school, teaching them about wetland and waterfowl conservation through
hands-on learning and artistic expression. It is education at its
finest, combining creativity with conservation, art with action.
What makes this program truly special is how it is funded. One
hundred percent--every single penny--of revenue from Junior Duck Stamp
sales goes directly back into supporting environmental education
activities for students and recognizing students for their conservation
efforts.
This isn't government waste or bureaucratic overhead. This is a
program that pays for itself while delivering real results. At a time
when we are seeing declining connections between young people and
nature, when screen time often outweighs green time, programs like this
are more important than ever. It is exactly the kind of targeted,
effective investment we should be making.
I commend Representatives Scholten and Yakym for their bipartisan
leadership on this issue. The Junior Duck Stamp program represents the
best of what government can do: inspiring young people, supporting
education, and protecting our natural heritage, all while operating
efficiently and transparently.
Our children deserve the chance to connect with nature, to understand
their role as stewards of the environment, and to express that
connection through art and learning. This program gives them that
chance.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1098.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Scholten), the sponsor of the bill.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member
for hearing my bill today. It is such a critical piece of legislation.
Those of us from Great Lakes States know how important it is to
connect our young people back to the water that surrounds them, to
nature, and to get off their phones and into the great outdoors.
I rise today in support of this incredible piece of bipartisan
legislation that I cosponsored with another great midwesterner, Rudy
Yakym, the Reauthorization of Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design
Program Act.
This program is an art- and science-based curriculum that educates
children on the importance of wetlands and waterfowl conservation. The
Junior Duck Stamp curriculum is a program during which students can
develop an understanding of waterfowl anatomy and habitats, culminating
in the Junior Duck Stamp art competition, where participants may draw
or paint a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species.
The winning image of this contest then goes on to be featured on the
Junior Duck Stamp itself, with proceeds of the stamp being redirected
to educational activities for the students participating in the
program.
As was mentioned, this program has been in existence for 30 years,
and the benefits have been proven. This bill will provide an extension
of the Junior Duck Stamp program through 2031, empowering our children
to learn more about conservation and their world around them. If we do
not act today, we could lose all the good that comes from this program.
I am fortunate to come from an outdoorsy household, where we are a
camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing family. These experiences have
been critical to my own sons, James and Wesley, in their upbringing.
The extension of this program will ensure that other households have
consistent access to exploring our environment, as well.
We must encourage our children to connect with the environment to
understand how to preserve the natural world that makes Michigan and
the entire United States such a wonderful place to live. That is what
the Junior Duck Stamp program is all about, and I am thrilled to lead
this legislation to ensure future generations of children can learn
about conservation while tapping into their artistic skills.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, this bill reauthorizes an important program
that invests in the next generation and encourages them to continue our
country's great outdoor and sporting legacy. I urge my colleagues to
support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1098, 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.
____________________