§718b. Sales; fund disposition; unsold stamps

(a) Sales

(1) In general

The stamps required under section 718a of this title shall be sold by the Postal Service and may be sold by the Department of the Interior, pursuant to regulations promulgated jointly by the Postal Service and the Secretary, at-

(A) any post office; and

(B) such other establishments, facilities, or locations as the Postal Service or the Secretary (or a designee) may direct or authorize.

(2) Proceeds

The funds received from the sale of stamps under this subchapter by the Department of the Interior shall be deposited in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund in accordance with section 718d of this title.

(3) Minimum and maximum values

Except as provided in subsection (b), the Postal Service shall collect the full face value of each stamp sold under this section for the applicable hunting year.

(4) Validity

No stamp sold under this subchapter shall be valid under any circumstances to authorize the taking of migratory waterfowl except-

(A) in compliance with Federal and State laws (including regulations);

(B) on the condition that the individual so taking the waterfowl wrote the signature of the individual in ink across the face of the stamp prior to the taking; and

(C) during the hunting year for which the stamp was issued.

(5) Unused stamps

(A) Definition of retail dealer

In this paragraph, the term "retail dealer" means-

(i) any individual or entity that is regularly engaged in the business of retailing hunting or fishing equipment; and

(ii) any individual or entity duly authorized to act as an agent of a State or political subdivision of a State for the sale of State or county hunting or fishing licenses.

(B) Redemption of unused stamps

The Department of the Interior, pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary, shall provide for the redemption, on or before the 30th day of June of each year, of unused stamps issued for the year under this subchapter that-

(i) were sold on consignment to any person authorized by the Secretary to sell stamps on consignment (including retail dealers for resale to customers); and

(ii) have not been resold by any such person.

(6) Prohibition on certain stamp sales

The Postal Service shall not-

(A) sell on consignment any stamps issued under this subchapter to any individual, business, or organization; or

(B) redeem stamps issued under this subchapter that are sold on consignment by the Secretary (or any agent of the Secretary).

(b) Cost of stamps

The Postal Service shall collect $10.00 for each stamp sold under the provisions of this section for hunting years 1987 and 1988, $12.50 for hunting years 1989 and 1990, $15.00 for hunting years 1991 through 2013, and $25 for each hunting year thereafter, if the Secretary determines, at any time before February 1 of the calendar year in which such hunting year begins, that all sums in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund available for obligation and attributable to-

(1) amounts appropriated pursuant to this subchapter for the fiscal year ending in the immediately preceding calendar year; and

(2) the sale of stamps under this section during such fiscal year

have been obligated for expenditure.

(c) Reduction in price of stamp

The Secretary may reduce the price of each stamp sold under the provisions of this section for a hunting year if the Secretary determines that the increase in the price of the stamp after hunting year 2013 resulted in a reduction in revenues deposited into the fund.

(Mar. 16, 1934, ch. 71, §2, 48 Stat. 451 ; June 15, 1935, ch. 261, title I, §2, 49 Stat. 379 ; Aug. 12, 1949, ch. 421, §1, 63 Stat. 599 ; July 30, 1956, ch. 782, §§2, 3(c), formerly §3(b), 70 Stat. 722 , renumbered Pub. L. 109–266, §10(i)(1), Aug. 3, 2006, 120 Stat. 679 ; Pub. L. 85–585, §1, Aug. 1, 1958, 72 Stat. 486 ; Pub. L. 92–214, §§1, 2, Dec. 22, 1971, 85 Stat. 777 ; Pub. L. 94–215, §3(b), (c), Feb. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 189 ; Pub. L. 94–273, §34, Apr. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 380 ; Pub. L. 95–552, §1, Oct. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 2071 ; Pub. L. 95–616, §7(a), Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3114 ; Pub. L. 99–625, §3, Nov. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 3502 ; Pub. L. 99–645, title II, §202, Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3586 ; Pub. L. 109–266, §10(b), (c), Aug. 3, 2006, 120 Stat. 674 , 675; Pub. L. 113–264, §2(1), (2), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 2939 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2014-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 113–264, §2(1), substituted "1990, $15.00 for hunting years 1991 through 2013, and $25 for each hunting year thereafter" for "1990, and $15.00 for each hunting year thereafter".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 113–264, §2(2), added subsec. (c).

2006-Pub. L. 109–266, §10(b), inserted section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–266, §10(b), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which related to issuance and sale of stamps, fund disposition, and unsold stamps.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–266, §10(c)(4), which directed amendment of par. (2) by striking "For purposes" and all that follows through "of any such year.", was executed by striking "For purposes of this section, the term 'hunting year' means the 12-month period beginning on July 1 of any such year." at the end of the concluding provisions following par. (2), to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pub. L. 109–266, §10(c)(1)–(3), inserted heading and substituted "Secretary" for "Secretary of the Interior" and "Migratory Bird Conservation Fund" for "migratory bird conservation fund" in introductory provisions.

1986-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–645, §202(1), (2), in introductory provisions, substituted "$10.00 for each stamp sold under the provisions of this section for hunting years 1987 and 1988, $12.50 for hunting years 1989 and 1990, and $15.00 for each hunting year thereafter, if" for "$7.50 for each stamp sold under the provisions of this section for any hunting year if".

Pub. L. 99–625 and Pub. L. 99–645, §202(3), amended subsec. (b) identically, inserting "available for obligation" before "attributable to".

1978-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–616 substituted "June" for "September" in sixth sentence.

Pub. L. 95–552, §1(1), (2), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted in third sentence introductory text "Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section," and "for any hunting year" before "there shall be collected".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–552, §1(3), added subsec. (b).

1976-Pub. L. 94–273 substituted "the year" for "the fiscal year" and "each year" for "each fiscal year".

Pub. L. 94–215 authorized sale of stamps by the Department of the Interior, substituted provision for prescription of regulations jointly by the Postal Service and the Secretary of the Interior for prior provision for such prescription by the Postal Service and provision for sale of stamps at any establishment, facility, or location as the Postal Service and the Secretary of the Interior shall direct and authorize for prior provision for sale of stamps at such post offices other than first- and second-class post offices as the Postal Service shall direct and inserted provision respecting deposit of funds from sale of stamps by the Department of the Interior in the migratory bird conservation fund; and substituted "September" for "June" in relation to redemption of blocks of stamps, designated existing provisions as cls. (A) and (B), and substituted "consignment to any person, including, but not limited to, "retail dealers" for "consignment to retail dealers" in cl. (A) and "by any such person" for "by such dealers" in cl. (B), respectively.

1971-Pub. L. 92–214 substituted "Postal Service" for "Post Office Department" and "Postmaster General" and inserted provisions authorizing the collection of up to $5 for each stamp sold to be determined by the Secretary of the Interior after taking into consideration, among other matters, the increased cost of lands needed for the conservation of migratory birds.

1958-Pub. L. 85–585 increased cost of stamp from $2 to $3.

1956-Act July 30, 1956, §2, struck out in existing next to last sentence requirement that stamps remaining unsold by the Post Office Department subsequent to becoming void after the 30th day of June next succeeding issuance be destroyed, substituted provisions in existing last sentence relating to redemption of blocks of unused stamps sold on consignment to retail dealers for resale to their customers, for provisions prohibiting the redemption by the Department in cash or kind of stamps sold under this Act, and inserted sentence defining "retail dealers". For further amendment of next to last sentence of this section, see section 3(c) of act July 30, 1956, set out below.

Act July 30, 1956, §3(c), formerly §3(b), as renumbered by Pub. L. 109–266, §10(i)(1), substituted provisions in fourth sentence authorizing use as migratory-bird stamps only during fiscal year for which issued, for provisions requiring stamps to expire and be void after the 30th day of June next succeeding issuance. Amendment of fourth sentence by section 3(c) further amends amendments made to next to last sentence by section 2 of act July 30, 1956, as set out above.

1949-Act Aug. 12, 1949, increased cost of stamp from $1 to $2.

1935-Act June 15, 1935, amended section generally.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1958 Amendment

Pub. L. 85–585, §4, Aug. 1, 1958, 72 Stat. 487 , provided that: "The amendment made by the first section of this Act [amending this section] shall become effective on July 1, 1959. The amendment made by section 2 of this Act [amending section 718d of this title] making available the net proceeds of all moneys received in the migratory bird conservation fund for the location, ascertainment, and acquisition of Waterfowl Production Areas and suitable areas for migratory bird refuges shall become effective on July 1, 1960. The remaining amendments made by this Act [amending section 718d of this title] shall become effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 1, 1958]. Any unobligated balance remaining in the migratory bird conservation fund on June 30, 1960, shall thereafter be available for expenditure only for the purposes specified in the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act [now Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act] of March 16, 1934 [this subchapter], as amended by this Act."

Spending of Stamp Money

Act Aug. 12, 1949, ch. 421, §1, 63 Stat. 599 , provided in part: "That the moneys derived from the sale of such stamps shall be spent only upon specific appropriation by the Congress."