39–010 

Calendar No. 343 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 113–145 

PERMANENT ELECTRONIC DUCK STAMP ACT OF 2013 

APRIL 1, 2014.—Ordered to be printed 

Mrs. BOXER, from the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1206] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 

referred a bill (H.R. 1206) to grant the Secretary of the Interior 

permanent authority to authorize States to issue electronic duck 

stamps, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass. 

GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

Hunters over the age of 16 must purchase a Federal Duck Stamp 

each year if they want to hunt migratory waterfowl. Ninety-eight 

cents out of every dollar generated by the sales of Federal Duck 

Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland and waterfowl 

habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been carrying out a pilot 

program that allows customers the option to purchase the federal 

duck stamp online. This program is operating in eight states. H.R. 

1206 would extend the pilot program to all states and make it permanent. To sell stamps electronically a state must submit an application to the Secretary for approval. The legislation also outlines 

requirements for the sale of electronic stamps, fees that can be 

charged, and validity of electronic stamps. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION

The Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 (H.R. 1206) 

permanently authorizes a program to issue electronic duck stamps. 


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SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 provides that this Act may be cited as the ‘Permanent 

Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013’. 

Section 2. Definitions 

Section 2 provides definitions of several terms used in the Act. 

Section 3. Authority to issue electronic duck stamps 

Section 3 authorizes the Secretary to issue electronic duck 

stamps in consultation with State management agencies. 

Section 4. State application 

Section 4 establishes application requirements for authorization 

of State programs that sell electronic duck stamps 

Section 5. State obligations and authorities 

Section 5 establishes requirements for the sale of electronic duck 

stamps and the collection of revenues. 

Section 6. Electronic stamp requirements; recognition of electronic 

stamp 

Section 6 establishes requirements for the format and recognition 

of electronic stamps. 

Section 7. Termination of state participation 

Section 7 directs the Secretary to terminate a State’s authority 

to issue electronic duck stamps if the Secretary finds that the State 

has violated any of the terms of the application of the State approved by the Secretary under Section 4. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 1206 was introduced by Representative Wittman (R–VA) on 

March 14, 2013. On May 17, 2013, the House of Representatives 

Committee on Natural Resources ordered the bill reported favorably. The bill passed the House of Representatives on June 3, 2013 

by a vote of 401–0. The bill was received, read twice, and referred 

to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on 

June 4, 2013. On February 6, 2014, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works ordered the bill reported favorably without amendment. 

On April 16, 2013, Senators Wicker, Pryor, and Cochran introduced S. 738, the Senate companion to H.R. 1206. 

HEARINGS

There were no hearings on H.R. 1206. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider H.R. 1206 on February 6, 2014. The bill was ordered reported 

favorably by voice vote. 


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REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that H.R. 1206 does not 

create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals. 

MANDATES ASSESSMENT

In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 

(Public Law 104–4), the committee noted that the Congressional 

Budget Office has found, ‘‘H.R. 1206 contains no intergovernmental 

or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates 

Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.’’ 

FEBRUARY 12, 2014. 

Hon. BARBARA BOXER, 

Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MADAM CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has 

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1206, the Permanent 

Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013. 

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Martin von Gnechten. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS W. ELMENDORF. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 1206—Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 

H.R. 1206 would authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(USFWS) to permanently allow any state to provide hunting and 

conservation stamps for migratory birds (referred to as federal 

duck stamps) electronically. The electronic stamps would remain 

valid for 45 days to allow for the physical stamps to arrive in the 

mail. A pilot program that authorized a limited number of states 

to issue electronic stamps expired in 2010, although the USFWS 

has continued the program under other authorities. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1206 would affect direct 

spending and revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. 

Under current law, amounts collected from the sale of duck stamps 

are deposited in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund and are 

available to be spent without further appropriation for waterfowl 

conservation projects. CBO estimates that the net effects of enacting the bill would be insignificant over the 2014–2024 period because we expect that the number of additional stamps purchased 

would not be significant. 

H.R. 1206 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

On May 14, 2013, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 

1206, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 24, 2014. The two versions of the legislation are 

identical and the CBO cost estimates are the same. 


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The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von Gnechten. 

The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made by 

the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no changes to 

existing law. 

Æ 


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