Portman’s Endangered Species Stamp Bill Passes Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced this his endangered species semipostal stamp bill, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2013, passed out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The bill reauthorizes a special postage stamp to benefit conservation programs for six years. As a result of past legislation, the U.S. Postal Service issued the Saving Vanishing Species Stamp, depicting an endangered Amur tiger cub, priced at 55 cents each. The 11 cent difference from this first-class stamp is transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to benefit the Multinational Species Conservation Funds which covers tigers, rhinos, elephants, great apes and sea turtles. The U.S. Postal Service reports that over 7.3 million stamps were sold in the first quarter since the stamp’s issuance. In its first three months stamp sales generated over $800,000, and in total, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act has raised over $2.5 million for conservation at no cost to taxpayers since 2011.

“I’m pleased this important legislation passed out of committee today,” Portman stated. “At no cost to taxpayers, the reauthorization of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act will benefit conservation programs and endangered species for years to come. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to move this bill forward.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced this his endangered species semipostal stamp bill, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2013, passed out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The bill reauthorizes a special postage stamp to benefit conservation programs for six years. As a result of past legislation, the U.S. Postal Service issued the Saving Vanishing Species Stamp, depicting an endangered Amur tiger cub, priced at 55 cents each. The 11 cent difference from this first-class stamp is transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to benefit the Multinational Species Conservation Funds which covers tigers, rhinos, elephants, great apes and sea turtles. The U.S. Postal Service reports that over 7.3 million stamps were sold in the first quarter since the stamp’s issuance. In its first three months stamp sales generated over $800,000, and in total, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act has raised over $2.5 million for conservation at no cost to taxpayers since 2011.

“I’m pleased this important legislation passed out of committee today,” Portman stated. “At no cost to taxpayers, the reauthorization of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act will benefit conservation programs and endangered species for years to come. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to move this bill forward.”