I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2595 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 23, 2017 
Ms. SPEIER (for herself and Mr. WOODALL) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening the De-
partment of Homeland Security Secure Mail Initiative 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the terms ‘‘Hold for Pickup service’’ and 
‘‘Signature Confirmation service’’ means the services 
described in sections 508.7.2.1 and 503.8.1.1.a, re-
spectively, of the Domestic Mail Manual (or any suc-
cessor services); 
(2) the term ‘‘Immigration Examinations Fee 
Account’’ means the account established under sec-
tion 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1356(m)); 
(3) the term ‘‘Postal Service’’ means the United 
States Postal Service; and 
(4) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Homeland Security. 
SEC. 3. OFFERING HOLD FOR PICKUP AND SIGNATURE 
CONFIRMATION SERVICES UNDER THE SE-
CURE MAIL INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
provide for an option under the Secure Mail Initiative (or 
any successor program) under which a person to whom 
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a document is sent under that initiative may elect, except 
as provided in subsection (e), to have the Postal Service 
use the Hold for Pickup service or the Signature Con-
firmation service in delivering the document. 
(b) FEE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, in accord-
ance with section 286(m) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)), shall require 
the payment of a fee from a person electing a service 
under subsection (a), which shall be set at a level 
that ensures recovery of— 
(A) the full costs of providing all such 
services; and 
(B) any additional costs associated with 
the administration of the fees collected. 
(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Of the fees col-
lected under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
(A) deposit as offsetting receipts into the 
Immigration Examinations Fee Account the 
portion representing— 
(i) the cost to the Secretary of pro-
viding the services under subsection (a); 
and 
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(ii) any additional costs associated 
with the administration of the fees col-
lected; and 
(B) transfer to the Postal Service the por-
tion representing the cost to the Postal Service 
of providing the services under subsection (a). 
(c) REGULATIONS.—The Postal Service may promul-
gate regulations that— 
(1) subject to paragraph (2), minimize the cost 
of providing the services under subsection (a); and 
(2) do not require the Postal Service to incur 
additional expenses that are not recoverable under 
subsection (b). 
(d) NOTICE OF CHANGES.—The Postal Service shall 
notify the Secretary of any changes to the Hold for Pickup 
service or the Signature Confirmation service. 
(e) USE OF PRIVATE CARRIER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary determines 
that a private carrier that offers substantially simi-
lar services to the Hold for Pickup and Signature 
Confirmation services would provide better service 
and value than the Postal Service provides under 
subsection (a), the Secretary may, in accordance 
with paragraph (2) of this subsection— 
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(A) discontinue use of the services of the 
Postal Service under subsection (a); and 
(B) enter into a contract with the private 
carrier under which a person to whom a docu-
ment is sent under the Secure Mail Initiative 
(or any successor program) may elect to have 
the private carrier use one of the substantially 
similar services in delivering the document. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may not 
exercise the authority under paragraph (1) unless 
the Secretary— 
(A) determines, and notifies the Postal 
Service, that the private carrier offers services 
that are substantially similar to the Hold for 
Pickup and Signature Confirmation services; 
(B) provides for an option under the Se-
cure Mail Initiative (or any successor program) 
under which a person to whom a document is 
sent under that initiative may elect a service 
under paragraph (1)(B); 
(C) requires the payment of a fee from a 
person electing a service under paragraph 
(1)(B), which shall be set at a level that en-
sures recovery of— 
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(i) the full cost of contracting with the 
private carrier to provide all such services; 
and 
(ii) any additional costs associated 
with the administration of the fees col-
lected; and 
(D) deposits the fees collected under sub-
paragraph (C) as offsetting receipts into the 
Immigration Examinations Fees Account. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re-
port that describes— 
(1) the implementation of the requirements 
under section 3; 
(2) the fee imposed under subsection (b) or 
(e)(2)(C), as applicable, of section 3; and 
(3) the number of times during the previous 
year that a person used a service under subsection 
(a) or (e)(1)(B) of section 3. 
Æ 
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