[105th Congress Public Law 41] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office] <DOC> [DOCID: f:publ41.105] [[Page 111 STAT. 1119]] Public Law 105-41 105th Congress An Act To allow postal patrons to contribute to funding for breast cancer research through the voluntary purchase of certain specially issued United States postage stamps, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Aug. 13, 1997 - [H.R. 1585]>> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act.>> SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. <<NOTE: 39 USC 101 note.>> This Act may be cited as the ``Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act''. SEC. 2. SPECIAL POSTAGE STAMPS. (a) In General.--Chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 414. Special postage stamps ``(a) In order to afford the public a convenient way to contribute to funding for breast 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 section-- ``(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 accordance 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 patrons. ``(c)(1) Of the amounts becoming available for breast cancer research pursuant to this section, the Postal Service shall pay-- ``(A) 70 percent to the National Institutes of Health; and ``(B) the remainder to the Department of Defense. Payments under this paragraph to an agency shall be made under such arrangements as the Postal Service shall by mutual agreement with such agency establish 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 breast 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 [[Page 111 STAT. 1120]] ``(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, the Department of Defense, or any other agency of the Government (or any component or program thereof ) below the level that would otherwise have been received but for the enactment of this section; or ``(2) affect regular first-class rates of postage or any other regular rates of postage. ``(e) <<NOTE: Regulations.>> 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 enactment of this section. ``(f) <<NOTE: Reports.>> The Postmaster General shall include in each report rendered under section 2402 with respect to any period during any portion of which this section is in effect information concerning the operation of this section, except 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 required for the purposes described in subsection (c)(2)(B). ``(g) <<NOTE: Termination date.>> 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) <<NOTE: 39 USC 404 note.>> Report by the Comptroller General of the United States.--No later than 3 months (but no earlier than 6 months) before the end of the 2-year period referred to in section 414(g) of title 39, United States Code (as amended by subsection (a)), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a report on the operation of such section. Such report shall include-- (1) an evaluation of the effectiveness and the appropriateness of the authority provided by such section as a means of fund-raising; and (2) a description of the monetary and other resources required of the Postal Service in carrying out such section. [[Page 111 STAT. 1121]] (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``414. Special postage stamps.''. Approved August 13, 1997. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1585: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997): July 22, considered and passed House. July 24, considered and passed Senate. WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 33 (1997): Aug. 13, Presidential statement. <all>