Sponsors
The bill creates a voluntary, highly visible way for the public to fund and learn about manatee conservation via a USPS stamp, but the support is dependent on unpredictable voluntary purchases and entails small administrative costs.
Conservation organizations and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will receive dedicated funds for manatee conservation from sales of a specialty stamp, providing targeted financial support for conservation activities.
Members of the public and taxpayers can directly support manatee protection through voluntary purchases of the specialty stamp for at least two years, creating an accessible way to contribute to conservation.
Featuring the manatee on an official USPS product increases public awareness and education about manatee conservation by putting the species in wide circulation.
Revenue for conservation depends on voluntary stamp purchases, so funding levels will be unpredictable and may be insufficient compared with direct appropriations, complicating program planning for agencies and nonprofits.
Implementing and marketing the specialty stamp may create modest administrative costs for USPS, which could be borne indirectly by taxpayers or USPS operations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs USPS to issue a manatee semipostal stamp and transfer premium proceeds to USFWS for manatee and habitat conservation.
Introduced January 23, 2025 by Darren Michael Soto · Last progress January 23, 2025
Requires the U.S. Postal Service to produce a manatee semipostal stamp and send the extra proceeds to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support manatee and manatee-habitat conservation. The stamp must be issued within 12 months of enactment and remain available for sale for at least two years.