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105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1389

To amend title 39, United States Code, to allow postal patrons to contribute

to funding for prostate cancer research through the voluntary purchase

of certain specially issued United States postage stamps.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

NOVEMBER 6, 1997

Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. BURNS) introduced the following bill; which

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 39, United States Code, to allow postal patrons to contribute to funding for prostate cancer research through the voluntary purchase of certain specially issued United States postage stamps.

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

3 SECTION 1. SPECIAL POSTAGE STAMPS TO BENEFIT PROS4 TATE CANCER RESEARCH.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of title 39, United

6 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow7 ing:
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1 ‘‘§ 414a. Special postage stamps for prostate cancer

2 research

3 ‘‘(a) In order to afford the public a convenient way

4 to contribute to funding for prostate cancer research, the

5 Postal Service shall establish a special rate of postage for

6 first-class mail under this section.

7 ‘‘(b) The rate of postage established under this sec8 tion—

9 ‘‘(1) shall be equal to the regular first-class rate

10 of postage, plus a differential of not to exceed 25

11 percent;

12 ‘‘(2) shall be set by the Governors in accord13 ance with such procedures as the Governors shall by

14 regulation prescribe (in lieu of the procedures under

15 chapter 36); and

16 ‘‘(3) shall be offered as an alternative to the

17 regular first-class rate of postage.

18 The use of the special rate of postage established under

19 this section shall be voluntary on the part of postal pa20 trons.

21 ‘‘(c)(1) Amounts becoming available for prostate can22 cer research pursuant to this section shall be paid to the

23 National Institutes of Health. Payments under this para24 graph shall be made under such arrangements as the Post25 al Service shall by mutual agreement with that agency es26 tablish in order to carry out the purposes of this section,
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1 except that, under those arrangements, payments to such

2 agency shall be made at least twice a year.

3 ‘‘(2) For purposes of this section, the term ‘amounts

4 becoming available for prostate cancer research pursuant

5 to this section’ means—

6 ‘‘(A) the total amounts received by the Postal

7 Service that it would not have received but for the

8 enactment of this section, reduced by

9 ‘‘(B) an amount sufficient to cover reasonable

10 costs incurred by the Postal Service in carrying out

11 this section, including those attributable to the

12 printing, sale, and distribution of stamps under this

13 section,

14 as determined by the Postal Service under regulations that

15 it shall prescribe.

16 ‘‘(d) It is the sense of the Congress that nothing in

17 this section should—

18 ‘‘(1) directly or indirectly cause a net decrease

19 in total funds received by the National Institutes of

20 Health (or any component or program thereof)

21 below the level that would otherwise have been re22 ceived but for the enactment of this section; or

23 ‘‘(2) affect regular first-class rates of postage

24 or any other regular rates of postage.
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1 ‘‘(e) Special postage stamps under this section shall

2 be made available to the public beginning on such date

3 as the Postal Service shall by regulation prescribe, but in

4 no event later than 12 months after the date of the enact5 ment of this section.

6 ‘‘(f) The Postmaster General shall include in each re7 port rendered under section 2402 with respect to any pe8 riod during any portion of which this section is in effect

9 information concerning the operation of this section, ex10 cept that, at a minimum, each shall include—

11 ‘‘(1) the total amount described in subsection

12 (c)(2)(A) which was received by the Postal Service

13 during the period covered by such report; and

14 ‘‘(2) of the amount under paragraph (1), how

15 much (in the aggregate and by category) was re16 quired for the purposes described in subsection

17 (c)(2)(B).

18 ‘‘(g) This section shall cease to be effective at the

19 end of the 2-year period beginning on the date on which

20 special postage stamps under this section are first made

21 available to the public.’’.

22 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) The analysis

23 for chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is amended

24 by striking the item relating to section 414 and inserting

25 the following:
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‘‘414. Special postage stamps to benefit breast cancer research.

‘‘414a. Special postage stamps to benefit prostate cancer research.’’.

1 (2) The heading for section 414 of title 39, United

2 States Code, is amended to read as follows:

3 ‘‘§ 414. Special postage stamps to benefit breast can4 cer research.’’.

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