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Legislative bills

Bipartisan Effort to Save Vanishing Species with Stamp Reauthorization Act

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tom Carper (D-DE) have applauded the House of Representatives for passing their bipartisan Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act. The bill requires the U.S. Postal Service to sell the remaining 41 million Saving Vanishing Species Stamps left in stock, which were printed in 2011 to promote wildlife conservation. The program has raised millions of dollars without any taxpayer money, and the senators hope to ensure that every last stamp is sold to continue funding conservation efforts.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill that requires the U.S. Postal Service to sell the remaining 41 million Saving Vanishing Species Stamps.
  • The stamp program, launched in 2011, has raised over $6.5 million for conservation projects through the sale of 59 million tiger stamps.
  • The funding has supported 135 on-the-ground conservation projects in 37 countries, leveraging over $25 million in matching funds from partners.
  • The legislation would extend the sale of the stamps, which require a purchase price above the normal first-class stamp price, to raise funds for the five Multinational Species Conservation Funds.
  • The funds support programs targeting poaching, illegal wildlife trade, habitat protection, and conservation projects that incorporate species conservation into community development.
  • Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tom Carper (D-DE) are urging their Senate colleagues to pass the legislation to ensure that every last stamp is sold and the conservation efforts continue.
  • The stamp program has been extended through various government funding bills since 2018, and the new legislation aims to sell the remaining 41 million stamps in stock.
  • The funds from the Sale of the stamps have supported conservation efforts for endangered species such as tigers, rhinoceroses, Asian and African elephants, marine turtles, and great apes.

Statistics:

  • 41 million: The number of Saving Vanishing Species Stamps remaining in stock that need to be sold.
  • 6.5 million: The amount of money raised for conservation projects through the sale of 59 million tiger stamps.
  • 135: The number of on-the-ground conservation projects supported by the funding raised through the stamp program.
  • 37 countries: The number of countries where conservation projects supported by the funding have been implemented.
  • 25 million: The amount of matching funds leveraged by the conservation projects supported by the funding raised through the stamp program.
  • 100 million: The total number of Saving Vanishing Species Stamps printed in 2011 to promote wildlife conservation.
  • 59 million: The number of tiger stamps sold to-date, out of the total 100 million stamps printed.

Sources:

  • U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  • Statement of Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
  • Statement of Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)

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