I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5398 

To amend the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act 

of 2016 to direct the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking 

to develop recommendations to address wildlife trafficking on the internet 

and on social media, and to direct the Secretary of State and the 

Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development 

to develop a strategy to address wildlife trafficking on the internet 

and on social media, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 11, 2019 

Mr. CARTER of Georgia (for himself and Mr. GARAMENDI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and 

in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife 

Trafficking Act of 2016 to direct the Presidential Task 

Force on Wildlife Trafficking to develop recommendations to address wildlife trafficking on the internet and 

on social media, and to direct the Secretary of State 

and the Administrator of the United States Agency for 

International Development to develop a strategy to address wildlife trafficking on the internet and on social 

media, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 5398 IH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be referred to as the ‘‘Combating On5 line Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COMBATING WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING. 

7 (a) TASK FORCE.—The Eliminate, Neutralize, and 

8 Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 (16 U.S.C. 7601 

9 et seq.) is amended— 

10 (1) in section 301 (16 U.S.C. 7631)— 

11 (A) in subsection (d)— 

12 (i) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘and’’ 

13 at the end; 

14 (ii) in paragraph (5) by striking the 

15 period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 

16 and 

17 (iii) by adding at the end the fol18 lowing: 

19 ‘‘(6) recommendations for how the Task Force 

20 can expand cooperative exchanges with technology 

21 and social media companies to combat wildlife traf22 ficking on the internet, including recommendations 

23 for— 

24 ‘‘(A) identifying how wildlife is trafficked 

25 on internet sites and platforms; 


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•HR 5398 IH

1 ‘‘(B) methods for technology companies to 

2 assist Federal agencies and international part3 ners to combat wildlife trafficking; and 

4 ‘‘(C) methods to improve public-private re5 lationships with technology and internet compa6 nies to combat wildlife trafficking.’’; 

7 (B) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub8 section (f); and 

9 (C) by inserting after subsection (d) the 

10 following: 

11 ‘‘(e) TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING

12 GROUP.— 

13 ‘‘(1) MEMBERSHIP.—The Task Force shall 

14 form a Technology and Social Media Working 

15 Group, which shall be composed of such members of 

16 the Task Force as the Task Force determines appro17 priate and a representative of the Chairman of the 

18 Federal Communications Commission, as designated 

19 by such Chairman. 

20 ‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—Such Technology and Social 

21 Media Working Group shall work to address ongoing 

22 concerns with wildlife trafficking on the internet. 

23 ‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—Such Technology and Social 

24 Media Working Group shall convene at least once 

25 each year.’’; and 


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1 (2) in section 402 (16 U.S.C. 7642), by adding 

2 at the end the following: 

3 ‘‘(c) INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA.—The Secretary 

4 of State and the Administrator of the United States Agen5 cy for International Development, in collaboration with 

6 other relevant United States agencies, nongovernmental 

7 partners, private sector companies, and international bod8 ies, shall develop a strategy for engaging and partnering 

9 with internet and social media companies to combat the 

10 spread of wildlife trafficking on the internet.’’. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS