19–010 

Calendar No. 513 

112TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 112–212 

PERMANENT ELECTRONIC DUCK STAMP ACT OF 2012 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012.—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 S. 2071] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 

referred a bill (S. 2071) 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. S. 

2071 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 2012 (S. 2071) 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 2012’’. 

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

S. 2071 was introduced by Senators Wicker and Pryor on February 6, 2012. The bill was received, read twice, and referred to the 

Committee on Environment and Public Works. On July 25, 2012, 

the full Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider the bill. The bill was ordered reported favorably without 

amendment by voice vote. 

HEARINGS

On April 24th, 2012, the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the 

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a legislative hearing on multiple bills, including S. 2071. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider S. 2071 on July 25, 2012. The bill was ordered reported favorably by voice vote. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

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

Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 2071 does not creVerDate Mar 15 2010 06:53 Sep 20, 2012 Jkt 019010 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR212.XXX SR212

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ate 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, ‘‘S. 2071 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.’’ 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

AUGUST 23, 2012. 

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 S. 2071, the Permanent 

Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012. 

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. 

S. 2071—Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012 

S. 2071 would authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(USFWS) to permanently allow states to provide federal migratory 

bird hunting and conservation stamps (referred to as federal duck 

stamps) electronically. The electronic stamps would remain valid 

for 45 days to allow hunting before the stamps arrive in the mail. 

A pilot program that authorized states to issue electronic stamps 

expired in 2010, although the USFWS has continued the program 

under other authorities. 

CBO estimates that enacting S. 2071 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 for each year and over the 2013–2022 period 

because the legislation would not have a significant impact on the 

number of federal duck stamps purchased. 

S. 2071 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 December 14, 2011, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 

3117, the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2011, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on 

November 17, 2011. The two bills are nearly identical, and the estimated costs are the same. 

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

The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 


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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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