U.S. Postal Service Governors Approve Plan to Issue Breast Cancer Research Stamp
April 8, 1998
San Francisco, CA -- The Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service has approved a price of 40 cents for a stamp designed to raise funds for breast cancer research. The Breast Cancer Research Stamp legislation, introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), was signed into law by President Clinton on August 13, 1997.
The breast cancer stamp will be deemed valid for postage as a 32-cent First-Class stamp with 70% of the net proceeds directed to research programs at the National Institutes (NIH) and 30% directed to the Department of Defense (DoD).
“I am extremely pleased that the U.S. Postal Service is well on their way to make the Breast Cancer Research stamp a reality,” said Senator Feinstein. “With the Board of Governors action this week, we are one step closer to raising much needed research dollars for this deadly disease. This stamp represents a truly revolutionary idea that will increase breast cancer research funds without raising taxes.”
The Postal Service unanimously approved the plan to issue the “semipostal” stamp at their monthly meeting held this week at Postal Headquarters in Washington, DC. The Governors decision follows legislation that directed the Postal Service to issue a semipostal dedicated to helping raise funds for breast cancer. The legislation also required the Board of Governors to determine the amount of differential between the regular First-Class rate and the price of the semipostal stamp.
The Senate legislation was sponsored by Senators Feinstein, Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY) and Lauch Faircloth (R-NC) and the House legislation was sponsored by Representative Vic Fazio (D-Sacramento) and former Representative Susan Molinari of New York. The Postal Service’s plan calls for a proposed unveiling of the design of the Breast Cancer Research Semipostal on May 9, 1998 at the Revlon Run and Walk for Women in Los Angeles, California with a nationwide issuance in Washington, DC, in early August.
