HR 3537: Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act of 2009

HR 3537 in plain English: This bill reauthorizes the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program through fiscal year 2015. It requires status reports on the program in each state every five years and authorizes $500,000 per year for administrative expenses. The $5 Junior Duck Stamp generated more than $100,000 in revenue in 2007-2008, used for educational materials.

Stated purpose

To reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program by requiring periodic status reports to Congress and extending funding for the program's administrative expenses through fiscal year 2015.

Key points

• Reauthorizes the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program through FY2015
• Authorizes $500,000 per year for program administrative expenses for FY2010 through FY2015
• Requires reports every five years on the program's status in each state
• The $5 Junior Duck Stamp generated more than $100,000 in revenue in 2007-2008

Arguments supporters make

• The program has a 20-year track record of successfully connecting young people with conservation and nature, making continued investment worthwhile.
• Junior Duck Stamp sales already generate revenue used for scholarships and educational materials, so federal administrative funding helps leverage those existing resources.
• Building conservation awareness in children creates future stewards of natural resources, which benefits the country long-term.

Arguments opponents make

• Authorizing $500,000 per year in federal spending for a program that generates only around $100,000 annually in stamp sales raises questions about whether taxpayer money is being spent efficiently.
• This type of educational program could potentially be funded by states, private donors, or nonprofit partners rather than requiring ongoing federal appropriations.
• A five-year reporting cycle may not provide Congress with timely enough information to oversee how well the program is performing in each state.

Tradeoffs

Continuing federal funding keeps an established youth conservation program running nationally, but it also means ongoing government spending on a program that some might argue could be sustained through private or state-level support instead.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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