H.R. 8899, the Ko’ko BIRDS Stamp Act is a measure which would both authorize the United States Postal Service to design, issue, and sell the Ko’ko Bird Semi postal stamp and establish and account where a certain percentage of the sales would support Guam Department of Agriculture’s Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources needs.

Introduced by Delegate James Moylan, the legislation would mirror efforts of other jurisdictions in reference to seeking supplemental funding for wildlife conservation projects within their respective districts.

According to financial projections, DAWR is estimated to receive between $250,000 to $500,000 annually from this endeavor, which would support in addressing some of the division’s objectives.

“I am excited to introduce this outside the box idea legislation, which will assist in obtaining some funding to address local wildlife conservation priorities in Guam. Recently, we learned that United Airlines discontinued the bird repatriation program which has the propensity of adversely impacting the existence of the Ko’ko’ or Sihek, two of Guam’s native birds. Securing additional funding through this measure, on top of their annual appropriation, would certainly assist DAWR in supplementing local breeding efforts, while increasing resources to further eradicate the brown tree snake,” said Moylan.

“My office is looking at various legislative vehicles as a means to further advance this measure,” he added.

The measure also notes that any funding received by DAWR through the Ko’ko’ BIRDS Stamp Act will not impact any other federal funding the division regularly receives from grants or other federal programs.

Also, if enacted, the stamp will be made available to the public for a period of not less than four years.