69–006 

110TH CONGRESS REPT. 110–409, " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session Part 1 

TO AMEND TITLE 39, UNITED STATES CODE, TO EXTEND 

THE AUTHORITY OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL 

SERVICE TO ISSUE A SEMIPOSTAL TO RAISE FUNDS 

FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH 

OCTOBER 25, 2007.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. DINGELL, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1236] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred 

the bill (H.R. 1236) to make permanent the authority of the United 

States Postal Service to issue a special postage stamp to support 

breast cancer research, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill as 

amended do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Amendments ............................................................................................................ 1 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 2 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 3 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 3 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 3 

New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures ............. 3 

Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits .................................................................. 3 

Committee Cost Estimate ....................................................................................... 3 

Congressional Budget Office Estimate ................................................................... 3 

Federal Mandates Statement ................................................................................. 7 

Advisory Committee Statement .............................................................................. 7 

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 7 

Applicability to Legislative Branch ........................................................................ 7 

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation ...................................................... 7 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 7 

AMENDMENTS

The amendments are as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 


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SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY. 

Section 414(h) of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and 

inserting ‘‘2011’’. 

SEC. 2. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 

The National Institutes of Health shall submit to Congress and the Government 

Accountability Office an annual report concerning the use of any amounts that it 

received under section 414(c) of title 39, United States Code, including a description 

of any significant advances or accomplishments, during the year covered by the report, that were funded, in whole or in part, with such amounts. 

Amend the title so as to read: 

A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to extend the authority of the 

United States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to raise funds for breast cancer 

research. 

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

The purpose of H.R. 1236 is to extend for four years the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a special first-class 

postage stamp to contribute funding for breast cancer research. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Breast cancer continues to have a devastating effect on the 

health of women and men and imposes a large financial burden on 

the general public. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed 

cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths 

among women. Each year, approximately 175,000 women will be 

diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and more than 40,000 will 

succumb to the disease. Breast cancer affects women of all ages, 

races, ethnicities, socioeconomic strata, and geographical areas. 

In 1997, Congress passed the ‘‘Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act’’

(P.L. 105–41) to help support breast cancer research and to raise 

public awareness about the disease. This act authorized the sale of 

breast cancer postage stamps (known as semipostals) by the United 

States Postal Service (USPS). Semipostal stamps, postage sold at 

a premium to raise funds for a particular cause, have only recently 

been authorized for use in the United States. After accounting for 

the Postal Service’s administrative costs, amounts above the regular postal rate collected from sales of the special stamp are transferred to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense for breast cancer research. As of December 2006, 

the Breast Cancer Research Stamp (BCRS) had raised more than 

$53.4 million to support breast cancer research. The BCRS is offered through the U.S. Postal Service as an alternative to a First 

Class postage stamp. 

The Semipostal Authorization Act of 2000 extended the breast 

cancer stamp for two years and authorized the USPS to issue other 

semipostals until 2010. In the Treasury-Postal Service Appropriations Act of 2002 (P.L. 107–67), Congress extended the BCRS 

through 2003. The 109th Congress further extended the BCRS 

until December 31, 2007 (P.L. 109–100). H.R. 1236 would extend 

this program until December 31, 2011. 

HEARINGS

The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings 

on the legislation. 


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COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On Wednesday, October 10, 2007, the Subcommittee on Health 

met in open markup session and favorably forwarded H.R. 1236, 

amended, to the full Committee for consideration, by a voice vote. 

On Tuesday, October 16, 2007, the full Committee met in open 

markup session and ordered H.R. 1236 favorably reported to the 

House, as amended by the Subcommittee, by a voice vote. No 

amendments were offered during full Committee consideration. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes on the motion 

to report legislation and amendments thereto. There were no recorded votes taken during consideration or ordering H.R. 1236 reported to the House. A motion by Mr. Dingell to order H.R. 1236 

favorably reported to the House, as amended, was agreed to by a 

voice vote. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

Regarding clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the oversight findings of the Committee are reflected in this report. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of H.R. 1236 is to extend the authority of the USPS 

to issue a special postage stamp to support breast cancer research. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX

EXPENDITURES

Regarding compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 

of the House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own 

the estimate of budget authority and revenues regarding H.R. 1236 

prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The 

Committee finds that H.R. 1236 would result in no new or increased entitlement authority or tax expenditures. 

EARMARKS AND TAX AND TARIFF BENEFITS

Regarding compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of 

the House of Representatives, H.R. 1236 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits 

as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI. 

COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate on H.R. 1236 

prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate provided by 


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the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974: 

OCTOBER 18, 2007. 

Hon. JOHN D. DINGELL, 

Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1236, a bill to amend title 

39, United States Code, to extend the authority of the United 

States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to raise funds for breast 

cancer research. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark Grabowicz. 

Sincerely, 

PETER R. ORSZAG, 

Director. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 1236—A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to extend 

the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a 

semipostal to raise funds for breast cancer research 

Summary: The Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act (Public Law 105–

41) authorized a special postage stamp for first-class mail. The 

price of this stamp is 55 cents, 14 cents above the regular rate of 

41 cents. The authority to issue the stamp expires on December 31, 

2007. After accounting for the Postal Service’s administrative costs, 

amounts above the regular postal rate collected from sales of the 

special stamp are transferred to the National Institutes of Health 

(NIH) and the Department of Defense (DoD) to spend on breast 

cancer research. H.R. 1236 would extend this program until December 31, 2011. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1236 would affect direct 

spending in most of the years 2008 through 2014, but would have 

no net effect on direct spending over the period as a whole. On balance, we estimate that enacting the bill would result in a net reduction in direct spending of $5 million over the 2008–2012 period; 

that savings would be offset by increased direct spending in 2013 

and 2014, leading to no net impact over the 2008–2017 period. 

The legislation would not affect revenues and would have no impact on direct spending after 2014. CBO estimates that implementing the bill would have discretionary costs of less than 

$500,000 annually for NIH to prepare reports on its spending of 

the proceeds from sales of the special stamp. 

H.R. 1236 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 

and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 1236 is shown in the following table. The costs 

of this legislation fall within budget functions 050 (national defense), 370 (commerce and housing credit), and 550 (health). 


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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2008– 2012 

CHANGES IN DIRECT SPENDING 1

Off-Budget Effects 

Impact on the Postal Service: 

Estimated Budget Authority .................................. –4 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Estimated Outlays ................................................. –4 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 

On-Budget Effects 

Impact on NIH and DoD: 

Estimated Budget Authority .................................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Estimated Outlays ................................................. –2 –4 –1 0 2 4 1 0 0 0 –5 

Unified Budget Effects 

Total Changes: 

Estimated Budget Authority .................................. –4 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Estimated Outlays ................................................. –6 –4 –1 0 6 4 1 0 0 0 –5 

1 Implementing H.R. 1236 also would increase discretionary spending by NIH to prepare reports to the Congress on the breast cancer stamp. CBO estimates that those costs would be less than $500,000 in each year. 


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Basis of estimate: Extending the authority to issue the special 

breast cancer stamp would generate additional offsetting receipts 

that would be spent without further appropriation action for research on the disease. The amounts collected and transferred by 

the Postal Service would be classified as ‘‘off-budget,’’ while the 

amounts received and spent by NIH and DoD would be recorded 

on the budget. All of those transactions would be considered direct 

spending. The budgetary impacts on each category and in individual years would vary because of the timing of such collections 

and spending, but all of the additional receipts would ultimately be 

spent, so CBO estimates that implementing this bill would have no 

net impact on the unified budget over the 2008–2017 period. 

Based on sales of the special breast cancer stamp in recent years, 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1236 would generate collections 

above the regular postage rate of $36 million—roughly $7 million in fiscal year 2008, $9 million in each of fiscal years 2009 through 

2011, and $2 million in 2012. After covering its administrative 

costs (about $100,000 over this period), the Postal Service would 

transfer those collections to NIH and DoD in May and November 

of each year. In fiscal year 2008, for example, the Postal Service 

would transfer $3 million to NIH and DoD, resulting in a net reduction of $4 million in Postal Service outlays in 2008. The net impact on Postal Service outlays over the 2008–2012 period, however, 

would be zero. Spending and collections of the Postal Service are 

classified as ‘‘off-budget.’’ CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1236 would increase NIH and DoD collections (from Postal Service transfers) by $3 million in 

2008, $9 million annually over the 2009–2011 period, and $6 million in 2012. Spending of those collections by the two agencies 

would lag behind the amounts collected by several months. For example, in fiscal year 2008, we estimate that NIH and DoD would 

collect $3 million from the Postal Service but spend only $1 million. 

We estimate that research spending would be $5 million in 2009, 

$8 million in 2010, $9 million in 2011, $8 million in 2012, $4 million in 2013, and about $1 million in 2014. The on-budget NIH and 

DoD accounts would show net outlay reductions totaling $7 million 

over the 2008–2010 period and a corresponding increase in outlays 

from 2012 through 2014. Thus, the net impact of the proposal on 

the unified budget (including on budget and off-budget effects) 

would be zero over the 2008–2014 period, with no effect after 2014. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1236 contains 

no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in 

UMRA and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 

governments. 

Previous CBO estimate: On September 27, 2007, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 1236 as ordered reported by the 

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on September 20, 2007. The two bills are very similar, and the cost estimates are identical. 

On August 9, 2007, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 597, 

a bill to extend the special postage stamp for breast cancer research for two years, as ordered reported by the Senate Committee 

on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on August 1, 

2007. CBO estimated that enacting that bill would have no net effect on direct spending over the 2008–2012 period. In contrast, enVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:40 Oct 27, 2007 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR409P1.XXX HR409P1

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acting H.R. 1236 would lead to net savings over that five-year period, but would have no net impact over the 2008–2017 period. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Mark Grabowicz; Impact on 

state, local, and tribal governments: Elizabeth Cove; Impact on the 

private sector: MarDestinee Perez. 

Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director 

for Budget Analysis. 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates regarding H.R. 1236 prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act would be created by H.R. 1236. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds that the Constitutional authority for this legislation is provided in Article I, section 8, clause 

3, which grants Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the several States, and with the Indian tribes, 

and in the provisions of Article I, section 8, clause 1, that relate 

to expending funds to provide for the general welfare of the United 

States. 

APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Extension of authority 

Section 1 extends the authority of USPS to issue a special postage stamp to support breast cancer research until December 31, 

2011. 

Section 2. Reporting requirements 

Section 2 requires NIH to prepare reports on spending of the proceeds from sales of the BCRS stamp. 

Section 2 requires the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend title 

39, United States Code, to extend the authority of the United 

States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to raise funds for breast 

cancer research.’’

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:40 Oct 27, 2007 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR409P1.XXX HR409P1

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ted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 

existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

TITLE 39, UNITED STATES CODE 

* * * * * * * 

PART I—GENERAL 

* * * * * * * 

CHAPTER 4—GENERAL AUTHORITY 

* * * * * * * 

§ 414. Special postage stamps 

(a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(h) This section shall cease to be effective after December 31, 

ø2007¿ 2011. 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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