Senate approves sales of Breast Cancer Research semipostal through 2019

By Bill McAllister, Washington Correspondent

On Sept. 23, the United States Senate unanimously approved legislation to continue sales of the nation’s first semipostal stamp through 2019.  

The Breast Cancer Research stamp provides 49¢ first-class postage and currently costs 60¢.

The additional 11¢ beyond the regular 49¢ postal rate for a domestic letter helps fund breast cancer research at the National Institutes of Health and the Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense.

The idea for the stamp was devised by Sacramento, Calif., breast cancer surgeon Dr. Ernie Bodai. He joined with Betsy Mullen, a breast cancer survivor from San Diego, and David Goodman from Orinda, who lost his wife to breast cancer, to advocate for the creation of the stamp.

The Breast Cancer Research stamp has raised $80.9 million for breast cancer research since it was first issued in 1998.