[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3762-3763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01070]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 551


Semipostal Stamp Program

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This proposed rule would remove certain restrictions on the 
commencement date for the Postal Service's discretionary Semipostal 
Stamp Program, and clarify how many semipostal stamps issued under that 
program may be on sale at any one time.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 22, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Mazzone, Manager, Stamp Products 
& Exhibitions, 202-268-6711, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Pursuant to the Semipostal Authorization Act, Public Law 106-253, 
the Postal Service has been granted discretionary authority to issue 
and sell semipostal stamps to advance such

[[Page 3763]]

causes as it considers to be ``in the national public interest and 
appropriate.'' See 39 U.S.C. 416(b). On June 12, 2001, the Postal 
Service published a final rule establishing the regulations in 39 CFR 
part 551 for the discretionary Semipostal Stamp Program (66 FR 31826). 
Minor revisions were made to these regulations to implement Public Law 
107-67, 115 Stat. 514 (2001), and to reflect minor organizational 
changes in the Postal Service (67 FR 5215 (February 5, 2002)). On 
February 19, 2004, the Postal Service published a final rule clarifying 
the cost-offset policy for semipostal stamps (69 FR 7688), and on 
February 9, 2005, the Postal Service also published an additional minor 
clarifying revision to these cost-offset regulations (70 FR 6764).
    The Postal Service now proposes to revise paragraphs (a) and (b) of 
39 CFR 551.5. A brief description of each proposed change follows.
    The proposed revision of Sec.  551.5(a) would remove certain 
restrictions on the commencement date of the discretionary Semipostal 
Stamp Program. Under current regulations, the 10-year period for the 
discretionary semipostal stamp program commences on a date determined 
by the Office of Stamp Services, but that date must be after the sales 
period of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp (BCRS) is concluded. Most 
recently, Public Law 114-99 (December 11, 2015) extended that sales 
period to December 31, 2019.
    The proposed revision of Sec.  551.5(a) would specify that the 10-
year period will commence on a date determined by the Office of Stamp 
Services, but this date need not be after the BCRS sale period 
concludes.
    The proposed revision of Sec.  551.5(b) would clarify that although 
only one semipostal stamp under the discretionary Semipostal Stamp 
Program under 39 U.S.C. 416 (a ``discretionary program semipostal 
stamp'') will be offered for sale at any one time, other semipostal 
stamps required to be issued by Congress (such as the BCRS) may be on 
sale when a discretionary program semipostal stamp is on sale. Current 
regulations state that the Postal Service will offer only one 
semipostal stamp for sale at any given time during the 10-year period 
(not specifying whether it is a discretionary program semipostal stamp 
or a semipostal stamp required by Congress).
    The proposed revision of Sec.  551.5(b) would clarify that the one-
at-a-time limitation on the sale of semipostal stamps applies only to 
discretionary program semipostal stamps.
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 551 to 
reflect these changes if the proposal is adopted.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 551

    Administrative practice and procedure.

    In accordance with 39 U.S.C. 416(e)(2), the Postal Service invites 
public comment on the following proposed amendments to the Code of 
Federal Regulations. For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Postal 
Service proposes to revise 39 CFR part 551 as follows:

PART 551--SEMIPOSTAL STAMP PROGRAM

0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 551 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  39 U.S.C. 101, 201, 203, 401, 403, 404, 410, 414, 
416.

0
2. In Sec.  551.5, revise paragraphs (a) and (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  551.5  Frequency and other limitations.

    (a) The Postal Service is authorized to issue semipostal stamps for 
a 10-year period beginning on the date on which semipostal stamps are 
first sold to the public under 39 U.S.C. 416. The Office of Stamp 
Services will determine the date of commencement of the 10-year period.
    (b) The Postal Service will offer only one semipostal stamp 
pursuant to the discretionary semipostal stamp program under 39 U.S.C. 
416 for sale at any given time during the 10-year period.
* * * * *

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-01070 Filed 1-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-12-P