I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2545
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 25, 1997
Mr. BROWN of Ohio (for himself, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. BONIOR, Ms. CHRIS-
TIAN-GREEN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. FILNER,
Mr. FLAKE, Mr. FROST, Mr. HILLIARD, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms.
EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. MCDERMOTT,
Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. NADLER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. NOR-
WOOD, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. STEARNS, Mr.
UNDERWOOD, Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, Mr. EVANS, Mr. LANTOS, and
Mr. FAZIO of California), introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight
A BILL
To amend title 39, United States Code, to allow postal pa-
trons to contribute to funding for prostate cancer re-
search through the voluntary purchase of certain spe-
cially issued United States postage stamps.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SPECIAL POSTAGE STAMPS TO BENEFIT PROS-
TATE CANCER RESEARCH.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of title 39, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing:
‘‘§ 414a. Special postage stamps for prostate cancer
research
‘‘(a) In order to afford the public a convenient way
to contribute to funding for prostate cancer research, the
Postal Service shall establish a special rate of postage for
first-class mail under this section.
‘‘(b) The rate of postage established under this sec-
tion—
‘‘(1) shall be equal to the regular first-class rate
of postage, plus a differential of not to exceed 25
percent;
‘‘(2) shall be set by the Governors in accord-
ance with such procedures as the Governors shall by
regulation prescribe (in lieu of the procedures under
chapter 36); and
‘‘(3) shall be offered as an alternative to the
regular first-class rate of postage.
The use of the special rate of postage established under
this section shall be voluntary on the part of postal pa-
trons.
‘‘(c)(1) Amounts becoming available for prostate can-
cer research pursuant to this section shall be paid to the
National Institutes of Health. Payments under this para-
graph shall be made under such arrangements as the Post-
al Service shall by mutual agreement with that agency es-
tablish in order to carry out the purposes of this section,
except that, under those arrangements, payments to such
agency shall be made at least twice a year.
‘‘(2) For purposes of this section, the term ‘amounts
becoming available for prostate cancer research pursuant
to this section’ means—
‘‘(A) the total amounts received by the Postal
Service that it would not have received but for the
enactment of this section, reduced by
‘‘(B) an amount sufficient to cover reasonable
costs incurred by the Postal Service in carrying out
this section, including those attributable to the
printing, sale, and distribution of stamps under this
section,
as determined by the Postal Service under regulations that
it shall prescribe.
‘‘(d) It is the sense of the Congress that nothing in
this section should—
‘‘(1) directly or indirectly cause a net decrease
in total funds received by the National Institutes of
Health (or any component or program thereof)
below the level that would otherwise have been re-
ceived but for the enactment of this section; or
‘‘(2) affect regular first-class rates of postage
or any other regular rates of postage.
‘‘(e) Special postage stamps under this section shall
be made available to the public beginning on such date
as the Postal Service shall by regulation prescribe, but in
no event later than 12 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this section.
‘‘(f) The Postmaster General shall include in each re-
port rendered under section 2402 with respect to any pe-
riod during any portion of which this section is in effect
information concerning the operation of this section, ex-
cept that, at a minimum, each shall include—
‘‘(1) the total amount described in subsection
(c)(2)(A) which was received by the Postal Service
during the period covered by such report; and
‘‘(2) of the amount under paragraph (1), how
much (in the aggregate and by category) was re-
quired for the purposes described in subsection
(c)(2)(B).
‘‘(g) This section shall cease to be effective at the
end of the 2-year period beginning on the date on which
special postage stamps under this section are first made
available to the public.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) The analysis
for chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is amended
by striking the item relating to section 414 and inserting
the following:
‘‘414. Special postage stamps to benefit breast cancer research.
‘‘414a. Special postage stamps to benefit prostate cancer research.’’.
(2) The heading for section 414 of title 39, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 414. Special postage stamps to benefit breast can-
cer research.’’.
Æ