II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1865 

To amend the prices set for Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps and make limited waivers of stamp requirements for certain 

users. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 19, 2013 

Mr. BEGICH (for himself, Mr. COONS, Mr. BAUCUS, and Mr. TESTER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 

A BILL 

To amend the prices set for Federal Migratory Bird Hunting 

and Conservation Stamps and make limited waivers of 

stamp requirements for certain users. 

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 ‘‘Migratory Bird Habi5 tat Investment and Enhancement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 

8 (1) Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Con9 servation Stamps (commonly known as ‘‘duck 

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1 stamps’’) were created in 1934 as Federal licenses 

2 required for hunting migratory waterfowl; 

3 (2)(A) duck stamps are a vital tool for wetland 

4 conservation; 

5 (B) 98 percent of the receipts from duck stamp 

6 sales are used to acquire important migratory bird 

7 breeding, migration, and wintering habitat, which 

8 are added to the National Wildlife Refuge System; 

9 and 

10 (C) those benefits extend to all wildlife, not just 

11 ducks; 

12 (3) since its inception, the Federal duck stamp 

13 program has— 

14 (A) generated more than $750,000,000; 

15 (B) preserved more than 5,000,000 acres 

16 of wetland and wildlife habitat; and 

17 (C) is considered among the most success18 ful conservation programs ever initiated; 

19 (4)(A) since 1934, when duck stamps cost $1, 

20 the price has been increased 7 times to the price in 

21 effect on the date of enactment of this Act of $15, 

22 which took effect in 1991; and 

23 (B) the price of the duck stamp has not in24 creased since 1991, the longest single period without 

25 an increase in program history; and 

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1 (5) with the price unchanged during the 20- 

2 year period preceding the date of enactment of this 

3 Act, duck stamps have lost 40 percent of their value 

4 based on the consumer price index, while the United 

5 States Fish and Wildlife Service reports the price of 

6 land in targeted wetland areas has tripled from an 

7 average of $306 to $1,091 per acre. 

8 SEC. 3. COST OF STAMPS. 

9 Section 2 of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Con10 servation Stamp Act (16 U.S.C. 718b) is amended by 

11 striking subsection (b) and inserting the following: 

12 ‘‘(b) COST OF STAMPS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For the 5-calendar-year pe14 riod beginning with calendar year 2014, and for 

15 each 5-calendar-year period thereafter, the Sec16 retary, in consultation with the Migratory Bird Con17 servation Commission, shall establish the amount to 

18 be collected under paragraph (2) for each stamp sold 

19 under this section, provided that the amount shall 

20 not exceed $25 for the initial 5-calendar-year period 

21 and not exceed $30 for the subsequent 5-calendar22 year period. 

23 ‘‘(2) COLLECTION OF AMOUNTS.—The United 

24 States Postal Service, the Department of the Inte25 rior, or any other agent approved by the Department 

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1 of the Interior, shall collect the amount established 

2 under paragraph (1) for each stamp sold under this 

3 section for a hunting year if the Secretary deter4 mines, at any time before February 1 of the cal5 endar year during which the hunting year begins, 

6 that all amounts described in paragraph (3) have 

7 been obligated for expenditure. 

8 ‘‘(3) AMOUNTS.—The amounts described in this 

9 paragraph are amounts in the Migratory Bird Con10 servation Fund available for obligation and attrib11 utable to— 

12 ‘‘(A) amounts appropriated pursuant to 

13 this Act for the fiscal year ending in the imme14 diately preceding calendar year; and 

15 ‘‘(B) the sale of stamps under this section 

16 during that fiscal year.’’. 

17 SEC. 4. WAIVERS. 

18 Section 1(a) of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Con19 servation Stamp Act (16 U.S.C. 718a(a)) is amended— 

20 (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and sub21 section (d)’’ after ‘‘paragraph (2)’’; and 

22 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

23 ‘‘(d) WAIVERS.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta25 tion with the Migratory Bird Conservation Commismaindgalligan on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with BILLS

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1 sion, may waive requirements under this section for 

2 such individuals as the Secretary, in consultation 

3 with the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, 

4 determines to be appropriate. 

5 ‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—In making the determina6 tion described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 

7 grant only those waivers the Secretary determines 

8 will have a minimal adverse effect on funds to be de9 posited in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund es10 tablished under section 4(a)(3).’’. 

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