Congress Considers Extending Breast Cancer Stamp
Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) have introduced legislation to extend the life of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp for an additional six years. The stamp, which was first issued on July 29, 1998, has already raised close to $25 million for breast cancer research.
An unprecedented 71 additional US Senators have co-sponsored the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Act of 2001 in a strong show of bipartisan support. The current stamp authorization extends through 2002.
The issuance of the first "semi-postal" stamp offered by the United States to generate funding for disease awareness and research was groundbreaking. The U.S. Postal Service and Congress had to be convinced that postal consumers would be willing to pay an extra amount above the standard postal rate-with the surplus being donated to research.
In the case of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, the first-class rate at the time was 33 cents, while consumers paid 40 cents to purchase the breast cancer stamp. The extra 7 cents was donated to the National Cancer Institute and the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. With the current first-class rate of 34 cents, the surplus balance of 6 cents per stamp is donated toward breast cancer research.
A California breast cancer surgeon, Dr. Ernie Bodai, first conceived of the idea for a semi-postal stamp to support breast cancer research. He launched an intensive lobbying effort of both the U.S. Postal Service and Congress, which was soon joined by a coalition of breast cancer advocacy groups including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Women's Information Network Against Breast Cancer (WIN ABC). These same players have been instrumental in garnering support for the new extension of the stamp program.
"The development of these stamps has provided a simple way for consumers to make a contribution to raising awareness and funding for breast cancer," said Nancy Brinker, Founder of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. "This represents how the power of the individual transforms into the dynamic force of many."
SOURCE:
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (http://www.komen.org)
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