S1496JUL28

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending July 28, 2006

S.1496 A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a pilot program under which up to 15 States may issue electronic Federal migratory bird hunting stamps.

BRIEF

If the Secretary of Interior approves of the their electronic stamp process, 15 states could issue electronic migratory bird hunting and conservations stamps.

The stamps would be issued to hunters just as duck stamps are issued to duck hunters as an authority to be hunting the species. The bill notes that duck stamps have produced $600 million in revenues that were spent to acquire 5 million acres of wildlife refuge lands.

This bill would begin a three year program to see if bird stamps have the same results as the duck stamp.

Stamps could be purchased over the phone or the Internet with delivery of the stamp allowed at a later date although hunting would be authorized immediately.

Sponsor: Senator Mike Crapo (ID)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent December 16, 2005. Passed House by voice vote July 25, 2006.

Cost to the taxpayers: “CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost the Federal Government $750,000 over the next 3 years, assuming the availability of appropriated funds.”