[Senate Report 112-212]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 513
112th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 112-212
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PERMANENT ELECTRONIC DUCK STAMP ACT OF 2012
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September 19, 2012.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2071]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill (S. 2071) to grant the Secretary of the
Interior permanent authority to authorize States to issue
electronic duck stamps, and for other purposes, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon and recommends
that the bill do pass.
GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND
Hunters over the age of 16 must purchase a Federal Duck
Stamp each year if they want to hunt migratory waterfowl.
Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sales
of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease
wetland and waterfowl habitat for protection in the National
Wildlife Refuge System.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been carrying out a
pilot program that allows customers the option to purchase the
federal duck stamp online. This program is operating in eight
states. S. 2071 would extend the pilot program to all states
and make it permanent. To sell stamps electronically a state
must submit an application to the Secretary for approval. The
legislation also outlines requirements for the sale of
electronic stamps, fees that can be charged, and validity of
electronic stamps.
OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION
The Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012 (S. 2071)
permanently authorizes a program to issue electronic duck
stamps.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 provides that this Act may be cited as the
``Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012''.
Section 2. Definitions
Section 2 provides definitions of several terms used in the
Act.
Section 3. Authority to issue electronic duck stamps
Section 3 authorizes the Secretary to issue electronic duck
stamps in consultation with State management agencies.
Section 4. State application
Section 4 establishes application requirements for
authorization of State programs that sell electronic duck
stamps
Section 5. State obligations and authorities
Section 5 establishes requirements for the sale of
electronic duck stamps and the collection of revenues.
Section 6. Electronic stamp requirements; recognition of electronic
stamp
Section 6 establishes requirements for the format and
recognition of electronic stamps.
Section 7. Termination of state participation
Section 7 directs the Secretary to terminate a State's
authority to issue electronic duck stamps if the Secretary
finds that the State has violated any of the terms of the
application of the State approved by the Secretary under
Section 4.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 2071 was introduced by Senators Wicker and Pryor on
February 6, 2012. The bill was received, read twice, and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. On
July 25, 2012, the full Committee on Environment and Public
Works met to consider the bill. The bill was ordered reported
favorably without amendment by voice vote.
HEARINGS
On April 24th, 2012, the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of
the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a
legislative hearing on multiple bills, including S. 2071.
ROLLCALL VOTES
The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to
consider S. 2071 on July 25, 2012. The bill was ordered
reported favorably by voice vote.
REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 2071
does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it
cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of
individuals.
MANDATES ASSESSMENT
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee noted that the Congressional
Budget Office has found, ``S. 2071 contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on
state, local, or tribal governments.''
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
August 23, 2012.
Hon. Barbara Boxer,
Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC,
Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2071, the Permanent
Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Martin von
Gnechten.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
S. 2071--Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012
S. 2071 would authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) to permanently allow states to provide federal
migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps (referred to as
federal duck stamps) electronically. The electronic stamps
would remain valid for 45 days to allow hunting before the
stamps arrive in the mail. A pilot program that authorized
states to issue electronic stamps expired in 2010, although the
USFWS has continued the program under other authorities.
CBO estimates that enacting S. 2071 would affect direct
spending and revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures
apply. Under current law, amounts collected from the sale of
duck stamps are deposited in the Migratory Bird Conservation
Fund and are available to be spent without further
appropriation for waterfowl conservation projects. CBO
estimates that the net effects of enacting the bill would be
insignificant for each year and over the 2013-2022 period
because the legislation would not have a significant impact on
the number of federal duck stamps purchased.
S. 2071 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
On December 14, 2011, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for
H.R. 3117, the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2011, as
ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on
November 17, 2011. The two bills are nearly identical, and the
estimated costs are the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von
Gnechten. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine,
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate
requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made
by the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no
changes to existing law.