Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-s-3477119th Congress
Support Our Troops Shipping Relief Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced
Summary
Treats humanitarian care packages to overseas U.S. service members as domestic mail. This bill would create a statutory pathway letting civilians send care packages to armed forces addresses and require the Postal Service to implement rules and simplified customs forms.
Show full summary
- Families and donors: Would make it easier to send care packages by allowing a simplified customs declaration that lists general categories like snack foods, personal hygiene items, or letters instead of item-by-item details.
- Service members and delivery staff: Shipments addressed to APO, FPO, or DPO would be treated as domestic mail for all purposes, which reduces paperwork and administrative burden when packages move overseas.
- U.S. Postal Service and customs processing: The Postmaster General would be required to issue regulations within 30 days to implement the program and accept the simplified declaration when a customs form is needed. The statute creates this regulatory obligation but does not authorize new funding.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Easier care packages for service members
If enacted, the bill would define which parcels count as humanitarian care packages and what a military mail address is (APO, FPO, or DPO). It would require the Postal Service to treat any covered shipment as domestic mail for all purposes, regardless of destination. The Postmaster General would have to issue rules to implement that treatment within 30 days of enactment. When a customs declaration is required, USPS would accept a simplified form listing categories like "snack foods", "personal hygiene items", or "letters and cards" instead of detailed product codes or country-of-origin entries. The bill would not authorize new funding.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov