II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1208 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 23, 2017 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. PERDUE, and Mrs. GILLIBRAND) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

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. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening the De3 partment of Homeland Security Secure Mail Initiative 

4 Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

6 In this Act— 

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

8 ‘‘Signature Confirmation service’’ means the services 

9 described in sections 508.7.2.1 and 503.8.1.1.a, re10 spectively, of the Domestic Mail Manual (or any suc11 cessor services); 

12 (2) the term ‘‘Immigration Examinations Fee 

13 Account’’ means the account established under sec14 tion 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 

15 (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)); 

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

17 States Postal Service; and 

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

19 of Homeland Security. 

20 SEC. 3. OFFERING HOLD FOR PICKUP AND SIGNATURE 

21 CONFIRMATION SERVICES UNDER THE SE22 CURE MAIL INITIATIVE. 

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

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

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

26 any successor program) under which a person to whom 


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

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

3 use the Hold for Pickup service or the Signature Con4 firmation service in delivering the document. 

5 (b) FEE.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in accord7 ance with section 286(m) of the Immigration and 

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

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

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

11 that ensures recovery of— 

12 (A) the full costs of providing all such 

13 services; and 

14 (B) any additional costs associated with 

15 the administration of the fees collected. 

16 (2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Of the fees col17 lected under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 

18 (A) deposit as offsetting receipts into the 

19 Immigration Examinations Fee Account the 

20 portion representing— 

21 (i) the cost to the Secretary of pro22 viding the services under subsection (a); 

23 and 


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1 (ii) any additional costs associated 

2 with the administration of the fees col3 lected; and 

4 (B) transfer to the Postal Service the por5 tion representing the cost to the Postal Service 

6 of providing the services under subsection (a). 

7 (c) REGULATIONS.—The Postal Service may promul8 gate regulations that— 

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

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

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

12 additional expenses that are not recoverable under 

13 subsection (b). 

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

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

16 service or the Signature Confirmation service. 

17 (e) USE OF PRIVATE CARRIER.— 

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

19 that a private carrier that offers substantially simi20 lar services to the Hold for Pickup and Signature 

21 Confirmation services would provide better service 

22 and value than the Postal Service provides under 

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

24 with paragraph (2) of this subsection— 


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1 (A) discontinue use of the services of the 

2 Postal Service under subsection (a); and 

3 (B) enter into a contract with the private 

4 carrier under which a person to whom a docu5 ment is sent under the Secure Mail Initiative 

6 (or any successor program) may elect to have 

7 the private carrier use one of the substantially 

8 similar services in delivering the document. 

9 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may not 

10 exercise the authority under paragraph (1) unless 

11 the Secretary— 

12 (A) determines, and notifies the Postal 

13 Service, that the private carrier offers services 

14 that are substantially similar to the Hold for 

15 Pickup and Signature Confirmation services; 

16 (B) provides for an option under the Se17 cure Mail Initiative (or any successor program) 

18 under which a person to whom a document is 

19 sent under that initiative may elect a service 

20 under paragraph (1)(B); 

21 (C) requires the payment of a fee from a 

22 person electing a service under paragraph 

23 (1)(B), which shall be set at a level that en24 sures recovery of— 


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1 (i) the full cost of contracting with the 

2 private carrier to provide all such services; 

3 and 

4 (ii) any additional costs associated 

5 with the administration of the fees col6 lected; and 

7 (D) deposits the fees collected under sub8 paragraph (C) as offsetting receipts into the 

9 Immigration Examinations Fees Account. 

10 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

11 Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 

12 of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re13 port that describes— 

14 (1) the implementation of the requirements 

15 under section 3; 

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

17 (e)(2)(C), as applicable, of section 3; and 

18 (3) the number of times during the previous 

19 year that a person used a service under subsection 

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

Æ 


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