[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 203 (Monday, December 11, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H6751-H6752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DUCK STAMP MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2023
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 788) to amend the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013
to allow States to issue fully electronic stamps under that Act, and
for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 788
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 ``Duck Stamp Modernization Act
of 2023''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZING FULLY ELECTRONIC STAMPS.
(a) In General.--Section 5 of the Permanent Electronic Duck
Stamp Act of 2013 (16 U.S.C. 718r) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Actual Stamp''
and inserting ``Electronic Stamp'';
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``an
actual stamp'' and inserting ``the electronic stamp''; and
(C) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) on the date of purchase of the electronic stamp;
and'';
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ``actual stamps'' and
inserting ``actual stamps under subsection (e)'';
(3) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(4) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Delivery of Actual Stamps.--The Secretary shall issue
an actual stamp after March 10 of each year to each
individual that purchased an electronic stamp for the
preceding waterfowl season.''.
(b) Contents of Electronic Stamp.--Section 2 of the
Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 (16 U.S.C. 718o)
is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Federal'' and all that
follows through ``that is printed'' and inserting ``Migratory
Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp required under the
Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act (16 U.S.C.
718a et seq.) that is printed''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)--
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) may contain an image of the actual stamp.''.
(c) Stamp Valid Through Close of Hunting Season.--Section 6
of the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 (16 U.S.C.
718s) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``shall, during the effective period of the
electronic stamp--'' and inserting ``shall--''; and
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ``for a period agreed to
by the State and the Secretary, which shall not exceed 45
days'' and inserting ``through the first June 30 that occurs
after the date of issuance of the electronic stamp by the
State''.
(d) Electronic Stamps as Permit.--Section 1(a)(1) of the
Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act (16 U.S.C.
718a(a)(1)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``as an electronic stamp (as defined in
section 2 of the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013
(16 U.S.C. 718o)) or'' after ``Conservation Stamp,''; and
(2) by striking ``face of the stamp'' and inserting ``face
of the actual stamp (as defined in that section)''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. WESTERMAN. 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 S. 788, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arkansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 788, sponsored by my friend and
fellow Razorback, Senator John Boozman from Arkansas. This bill makes
commonsense improvements to wildlife regulations by modernizing how
waterfowl hunters across the country can purchase a Federal duck stamp.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), who
had a companion bill in the House that went through our committee.
The Federal duck stamp was first created when President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt signed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act into law
in 1934. The law required waterfowl and other migratory bird hunters,
ages 16 and over, to purchase and possess a valid duck stamp prior to
taking migratory waterfowl.
Current law requires hunters to physically possess a signed duck
stamp while hunting for any migratory waterfowl. Even in States where
electronic licensing is used, a signed physical duck stamp is required.
Mr. Speaker, on my mobile phone, I have the Arkansas Game and Fish
Commission hunting app. Right here, front and center, I have my Federal
duck stamp electronically. Technically, I would be breaking the law if
a game warden approached me when I was hunting and this is all that I
had. I still have to carry my little duck stamps in my pocket that are
signed, both the State and Federal duck stamps.
This bill would modernize that program so that these electronic duck
stamps would suffice if you were approached by a game warden.
S. 788 modernizes the program by removing the 45-day requirement to
have a physical duck stamp and allowing States the option to sell
electronic duck stamps for the entirety of the hunting season.
Under this bill, purchasers would still receive the physical stamp at
the end of their State waterfowl season, therefore preserving the long
legacy of the Federal duck stamp for generations to come.
This is a good governance approach that will continue the unmatched
American tradition of wildlife conservation through sportsmen
participation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Garret Graves of Louisiana for his
tireless work on this issue. He sponsored the House companion to S.
788. After today, this legislation is one step closer to becoming law.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the duck stamp, or Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and
Conservation Stamp, is the only Federal conservation revenue stamp.
This means that 98 percent of the sale price is used to purchase
conservation easements and to acquire wetland habitats for the National
Wildlife Refuge System.
The duck stamp also provides an opportunity to showcase wildlife art,
with the Fish and Wildlife Service hosting an art competition each year
and the winning piece selected for next year's design.
Sportsmen and women, artists, and conservationists purchase duck
stamps as a collectible to cover entry fees to any National Wildlife
Refuge System unit, as a hunting license, or as a donation to
conservation.
Millions of stamps have been sold in recent years, contributing tens
of millions of dollars toward conservation each year. This bipartisan
bill would modernize government services by allowing online access to
the Federal duck stamp. It would save applicants and agency officials
time and money and make it more accessible for hunters,
conservationists, and collectors to purchase duck stamps and to support
wetland conservation.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
the great State of Louisiana (Mr. Graves), where I understand that if
you can't get to a hunt in Arkansas, it is not a bad place to go as a
consolation.
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Arkansas and the gentlewoman from Oregon for their cooperation on this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I note that my friend from Arkansas, whether he has the
electronic stamp or the physical stamp, I feel that the ducks in
Arkansas are safe. I have seen him shoot and am confident that those
ducks are safe.
Seriously, Mr. Speaker, oftentimes, when Congress acts, I think the
American people need to be very concerned.
[[Page H6752]]
In this case, I think it is a really good thing that is happening
today.
As my friends have discussed, back in 1934, President Roosevelt
signed the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act into law.
Today, over 1.6 million hunters go out and buy a physical duck stamp
every single year.
This has resulted in over $1.1 billion being invested in
conservation. This has benefited over 6 million acres of our national
wildlife refuges around the United States. This is a great program.
As my friend from Arkansas indicated, there is a compliance issue.
With the great work that was done in 2013 to allow for an electronic
duck stamp, there is a lag time between when the duck stamp is
purchased and when the physical stamp comes in. You could find
hunters out of compliance, despite the fact that they bought a stamp.
Simply, this legislation fixes that.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Senate cosponsors of this legislation who
have jumped in, Senators Boozman, Manchin, Marshall, and King, for
introducing the House companion--I want to be clear, the House
companion. This was a House bill and has already passed out of the
House, but now, the Senate is refusing to take our bill up, so we find
ourselves here.
In any case, I think this is good news. We are going to take the win.
I appreciate the opportunity to move forward.
The bottom line is that this ensures that hunters can be compliant
and are not going to get fined for not having the physical stamp.
Importantly, it preserves the physical stamp that will continue to be
mailed. It still is available to be purchased at local sporting goods
stores and post offices all around the United States.
We can continue to ensure compliance and ensure the enjoyment of
waterfowl all over the United States, whether you are in North Dakota
or south Louisiana or even in the chairman of the Natural Resources
Committee's State, Arkansas.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Mike Thompson from California, who
is the bipartisan cosponsor on this legislation. I urge adoption.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues from Arkansas
and Louisiana, who represent great States to go hunting in if you can't
make it all the way out to Oregon. I welcome you all there.
Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, and it should pass. I urge my
colleagues to support this legislation. I hope this can be unanimous,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to make clear that the gentleman
from Louisiana, even though he looks like a duck commander, he is not a
duck commander, but he does enjoy the outdoors.
The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, which is based on
a user pays system through the purchase of items like the Federal duck
stamp, is the envy of the world. In total, fees paid by the sportsmen
communities contribute over $1 billion in revenue annually that goes
toward wildlife conservation, which is truly a remarkable achievement.
S. 788 is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that underpins the Northern
American model by giving hunters certainty and modernizing the Federal
duck stamp process.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support 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 Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 788.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________