[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.
____________________