December 15, 2025
Mr. Blumenthal introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
To exempt humanitarian care packages sent to members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas from certain postal reporting requirements, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Support Our Troops Shipping Relief Act of 2025
.
Sec. 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: