115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1208 

AN ACT 

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide 

for an option under the Secure Mail Initiative under 

which a person to whom a document is sent under that 

initiative may elect to have the United States Postal 

Service use the Hold for Pickup service or the Signature 

Confirmation service in delivering the document, and for 

other purposes. 
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†S 1208 ES

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening the De5 partment of Homeland Security Secure Mail Initiative 

6 Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act— 

9 (1) the terms ‘‘Hold for Pickup service’’ and 

10 ‘‘Signature Confirmation service’’ mean the services 

11 described in sections 507.3.0 and 503.8.1.1.a, re12 spectively, of the Domestic Mail Manual (or any suc13 cessor services); 

14 (2) the term ‘‘Immigration Examinations Fee 

15 Account’’ means the account established under sec16 tion 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 

17 (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)); 

18 (3) the term ‘‘Postal Service’’ means the United 

19 States Postal Service; and 

20 (4) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

21 of Homeland Security. 
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1 SEC. 3. OFFERING HOLD FOR PICKUP AND SIGNATURE 

2 CONFIRMATION SERVICES UNDER THE SE3 CURE MAIL INITIATIVE. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 1 year 

5 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

6 provide for an option under the Secure Mail Initiative (or 

7 any successor program) under which a person to whom 

8 a document is sent under that initiative may elect, except 

9 as provided in subsection (e), to have the Postal Service 

10 use the Hold for Pickup service or the Signature Con11 firmation service in delivering the document. 

12 (b) FEE.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in accord14 ance with section 286(m) of the Immigration and 

15 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)), shall require 

16 the payment of a fee from a person electing a service 

17 under subsection (a), which shall be set at a level 

18 that ensures recovery of— 

19 (A) the full costs of providing all such 

20 services; and 

21 (B) any additional costs associated with 

22 the administration of the fees collected. 

23 (2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Of the fees col24 lected under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
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1 (A) deposit as offsetting receipts into the 

2 Immigration Examinations Fee Account the 

3 portion representing— 

4 (i) the cost to the Secretary of pro5 viding the services under subsection (a); 

6 and 

7 (ii) any additional costs associated 

8 with the administration of the fees col9 lected; and 

10 (B) transfer to the Postal Service the por11 tion representing the cost to the Postal Service 

12 of providing the services under subsection (a). 

13 (c) REGULATIONS.—The Postal Service may promul14 gate regulations that— 

15 (1) subject to paragraph (2), minimize the cost 

16 of providing the services under subsection (a); and 

17 (2) do not require the Postal Service to incur 

18 additional expenses that are not recoverable under 

19 subsection (b). 

20 (d) NOTICE OF CHANGES.—The Postal Service shall 

21 notify the Secretary of any changes to the Hold for Pickup 

22 service or the Signature Confirmation service. 

23 (e) USE OF PRIVATE CARRIER.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary determines 

25 that a private carrier that offers substantially simi-
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1 lar services to the Hold for Pickup and Signature 

2 Confirmation services would provide better service 

3 and value than the Postal Service provides under 

4 subsection (a), the Secretary may, in accordance 

5 with paragraph (2) of this subsection— 

6 (A) discontinue use of the services of the 

7 Postal Service under subsection (a); and 

8 (B) enter into a contract with the private 

9 carrier under which a person to whom a docu10 ment is sent under the Secure Mail Initiative 

11 (or any successor program) may elect to have 

12 the private carrier use one of the substantially 

13 similar services in delivering the document. 

14 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may not 

15 exercise the authority under paragraph (1) unless 

16 the Secretary— 

17 (A) determines, and notifies the Postal 

18 Service, that the private carrier offers services 

19 that are substantially similar to the Hold for 

20 Pickup and Signature Confirmation services; 

21 (B) provides for an option under the Se22 cure Mail Initiative (or any successor program) 

23 under which a person to whom a document is 

24 sent under that initiative may elect a service 

25 under paragraph (1)(B); 
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1 (C) requires the payment of a fee from a 

2 person electing a service under paragraph 

3 (1)(B), which shall be set at a level that en4 sures recovery of— 

5 (i) the full cost of contracting with the 

6 private carrier to provide all such services; 

7 and 

8 (ii) any additional costs associated 

9 with the administration of the fees col10 lected; and 

11 (D) deposits the fees collected under sub12 paragraph (C) as offsetting receipts into the 

13 Immigration Examinations Fees Account. 

14 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

15 Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 

16 of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re17 port that describes— 

18 (1) the implementation of the requirements 

19 under section 3; 

20 (2) the fee imposed under subsection (b) or 

21 (e)(2)(C), as applicable, of section 3; and 
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1 (3) the number of times during the previous 

2 year that a person used a service under subsection 

3 (a) or (e)(1)(B) of section 3. 

Passed the Senate December 21, 2017. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1208 

AN ACT 

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to 

for other purposes. firmation service in delivering the document, and Hold for Pickup service or the Signature Conhave the United States Postal Service use the ment is sent under that initiative may elect to tiative under which a person to whom a docuprovide for an option under the Secure Mail Ini-