The General Assembly of Pennsylvania
House Resolution No. 522

WHEREAS the postage stamps of the United States reflect and extol the patriotic, cultural, historic, and artistic aspects of our Commonwealth and of our Country; and

WHEREAS collecting stamps, historical mail, documents and related artifacts preserves and perpetuates our patriotism, culture, history, and art; and

WHEREAS collectors become better educated citizens through stamp collecting; and

WHEREAS research shows that children who collect are more likely to succeed in school; and

WHEREAS the stamp hobby is an activity that family members of all ages can enjoy together; and

WHEREAS collectors state that the top reasons they collect are for the history reflected in stamps and for the relaxation and relief from stress the hobby provides; and

WHEREAS the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has three excellent resources to aid our citizens, young and old, in beginning and furthering the hobby of stamp collecting; and

WHEREAS those resources are Stamp Camp USA, in Knoxville, Pennsylvania, and the American Philatelic Society and American Philatelic Research Library, headquartered jointly in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS those organizations have both a local and a national scope; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the House of Representative supports the enterprise of stamp collecting and its allied philatelic pursuits as pastimes conducive to good citizenship; and be it further

RESOLVED that the House of Representatives encourage all Pennsylvanians to recognize and celebrate the value of stamp collecting.