S. 3477

119 S3477 IS: Support Our Troops Shipping Relief Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-12-15
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 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 3477  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   December 15, 2025   Mr. Blumenthal  introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs    A BILL
To exempt humanitarian care packages sent to members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas from certain postal reporting requirements, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Support Our Troops Shipping Relief Act of 2025  .
2.
Treatment by United States Postal Service of humanitarian care packages sent to members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas
(a)
In general
 Chapter 34  of title 39, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 3401  the following:
3402.
Treatment of humanitarian care packages sent to members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas
(a)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Armed Forces
The term  Armed Forces  has the meaning given that term in section 101(a) of title 10.
(2)
Covered shipment
The term  covered shipment  means a shipment that—
(A)
is addressed to a military mail address or other destination authorized by the Secretary of Defense; and
(B)
consists of one or more humanitarian care packages.
(3)
Humanitarian care package
The term  humanitarian care package  means a parcel containing donated goods intended solely for the comfort, welfare, or morale of members of the Armed Forces at duty stations overseas.
(4)
Military mail address
The term  military mail address  means an Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO), or Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) address designated by the Secretary of Defense for receipt of mail by members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas.
(b)
Domestic treatment of military mail
(1)
In general
The Postal Service shall treat any covered shipment as domestic mail for all purposes, regardless of destination.
(2)
Regulations
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of the  Support Our Troops Shipping Relief Act of 2025 , the Postmaster General shall prescribe regulations to carry out paragraph (1).
(3)
Simplified customs declaration requirement
In implementing paragraph (1), to the extent that the Postal Service requires a customs declaration form for covered shipments, the Postal Service shall accept a simplified customs declaration form, which may list categories of contents (such as  snack foods ,  personal hygiene items ,  letters and cards , or similar general descriptions) instead of the classification under the Harmonized System or country-of-origin information for each article in the shipment.
 .
(b)
Technical and conforming amendment
The table of sections for  chapter 34  of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
3402. Treatment of humanitarian care packages sent to members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas.
  .