Anti-Domestic Violence Stamp Coming

The newest fund-raising postage stamp, aimed at reducing family violence and increasing awareness about the problem, will sell for 45 cents, the Postal Service decided Tuesday.

The price for the stamp, to go on sale later this year, was set by the agency's governing board. That means for each stamp sold, 37 cents will cover postage and 8 cents will go to the Department of Health and Human Service for programs to reduce family violence.

Fund-raising stamps, called semi-postals, have been used in some countries for years. They sell for more than the normal stamp price, with the extra used for charitable purposes. Congress directed the Postal Service to begin a program here, with any funds raised to be distributed by government agencies and the stamps for any single issue to be available for a limited time.

Congress mandated that the USPS solicit suggestions and weigh the merits of future subjects, and choose five, but then passed a law requiring two specific subjects be issued first: The Heroes of 2001 and Domestic Violence Awareness. "Heroes" was issued last year and is still on sale.

The Stop Family Violence stamp will be the nation's third fund-raising postage effort, and, according to The Virtual Stamp Club, will be issued in November. It will remain on sale until Dec. 31, 2006.

Colorado Republican Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell championed the issuance of the domestic violence charity stamp, by inserting the provision for it into the 2002 Treasury-Postal-General Government Appropriations Act while it was in conference committee.

The first such stamp, released in 1998, raises money to combat breast cancer. It was to have gone off the market, but sales were extended, twice, until Dec. 31 of this year. Backed by California Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein, it has raised about $29 million.

Heroes of 2001 raises money for the families of those killed in the Sept., 11, 2001 attacks. Its sale began last June and will continue until Dec. 31, 2004. So far it has raised about $9 million. It was proposed by New York Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton.