The United States Senate unanimously passed the Duck Stamp Modernization Act – legislation to make the Federal Duck Stamp more accessible for waterfowl hunters by authorizing the electronic stamp for use throughout the entire waterfowl hunting season.
The bipartisan bill will allow hunters to satisfy the Duck Stamp requirement in the field by accessing their electronic stamp using a smartphone. Physical stamps will remain available for purchase from the post office and other retailers.
“Duck hunters led the charge in making the Federal Duck Stamp one of the most successful conservation funding programs in history,” said Nick Wiley, DU’s Chief Operating Officer. “As we celebrate 80 years and over 8 million acres of habitat conserved through this program, it’s only right that we streamline the process and allow the use of electronic stamps throughout the season. This commonsense legislation is good for duck hunters and will help maintain strong support for the Duck Stamp program. We thank our friends in the Senate, and we look forward to a supportive vote in the House soon.”
The legislation was introduced by U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and Angus King (I-ME). A companion bill, introduced by Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA), has passed the House Natural Resources Committee and awaits a vote by the full House of Representatives.
For more information, visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to Follow DU’s Twitter feed – @DucksUnlimited and @DUConserve – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
