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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7999 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7999

 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to encourage and incentivize 
 rescue, rehabilitation, and appropriate reintroduction of threatened 
    and endangered animals by establishing a Wildlife Confiscations 
                    Network, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 15, 2024

 Mr. Garbarino (for himself and Mr. Quigley) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to encourage and incentivize 
 rescue, rehabilitation, and appropriate reintroduction of threatened 
    and endangered animals by establishing a Wildlife Confiscations 
                    Network, 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 ``Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, and 
Reintroduction Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) accredited zoos, aquariums, science centers, wildlife 
        sanctuaries, and similar facilities play invaluable roles in 
        the rescue, rehabilitation, and reintroduction of threatened 
        and endangered species of animals; and
            (2) to the maximum extent possible, such activities, 
        including the educational display and interpretation of such 
        species, should be encouraged, facilitated, and incentivized.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, acting through the Director of the National 
        Marine Fisheries Service.
            (2) Appropriate secretary.--The term ``appropriate 
        Secretary'' means--
                    (A) the Secretary, with respect to a zoo, aquarium, 
                science center, wildlife sanctuary, or similar facility 
                that cares for animal species over which the Director 
                of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has 
                jurisdiction;
                    (B) the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
                Administrator, with respect to a zoo, aquarium, science 
                center, wildlife sanctuary, or similar facility that 
                cares for animal species over which the Administrator 
                has jurisdiction; and
                    (C) the Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce, 
                acting through the Administrator, acting jointly with 
                respect to a zoo, aquarium, science center, wildlife 
                sanctuary, or similar facility that cares for animal 
                species described in both of subparagraphs (A) and (B).
            (3) Association.--The term ``Association'' means the 
        Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
            (4) CITES species.--The term ``CITES species'' means an 
        animal species that is listed in one of the Appendices of the 
        Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
        Fauna and Flora.
            (5) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the committee 
        established under section 6(b)(3).
            (6) Confiscated animal.--The term ``confiscated animal'' 
        means an individual of a CITES species or a threatened or 
        endangered species that is--
                    (A) seized at or en route to or from a port or 
                border of the United States; and
                    (B) placed at a qualified zoological facility to 
                provide general animal care and welfare to such 
                individual.
            (7) Conservation recovery species.--The term ``conservation 
        recovery species'' means a population of a threatened or 
        endangered species that is cared for by a qualified zoological 
        facility--
                    (A) for non-commercial purposes; and
                    (B) in direct support of recovery and 
                reintroduction efforts of a Federal agency for such 
                threatened or endangered species.
            (8) Network.--The term ``Network'' means the Wildlife 
        Confiscations Network established under section 6(a).
            (9) Qualified zoological facility.--The term ``qualified 
        zoological facility'' means a zoo, aquarium, science center, 
        wildlife sanctuary, or similar facility--
                    (A) that, as of the date of the enactment of this 
                Act, provides care to an individual of a conservation 
                recovery species;
                    (B) with which the appropriate Secretary has placed 
                a rescued animal within the 5 years preceding the date 
                of the enactment of this Act; or
                    (C) designated as such by the appropriate Secretary 
                under section 4.
            (10) Rescued animal.--The term ``rescued animal''--
                    (A) means an individual of a threatened or 
                endangered species that--
                            (i) is native to the United States; and
                            (ii) is removed from the wild because of 
                        injury, or threats or impending effects due to 
                        natural or human-induced activities, including 
                        such an individual that is removed from the 
                        wild by, or at the request of, a Federal, 
                        State, or Tribal agency; and
                    (B) does not include an individual of any species 
                of sea turtle.
            (11) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
        States Fish and Wildlife Service.
            (12) Threatened or endangered species.--The term 
        ``threatened or endangered species'' means an animal species 
        that is listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
        U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)--
                    (A) as a threatened species; or
                    (B) as an endangered species.

SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF QUALIFIED ZOOLOGICAL FACILITIES.

    The appropriate Secretary shall designate as a qualified zoological 
facility each zoo, aquarium, science center, wildlife sanctuary, or 
similar facility that, as determined by the appropriate Secretary--
            (1) has an established record of providing exemplary care 
        to--
                    (A) confiscated animals;
                    (B) rescued animals; or
                    (C) individuals of a conservation recovery species; 
                and
            (2) follows accepted practices in animal husbandry, 
        including--
                    (A) compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (7 
                U.S.C. 2131 et seq.);
                    (B) appropriate licensing and permitting; and
                    (C) adherence to industry standards.

SEC. 5. RESCUE AND RECOVERY GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Administrator, shall establish a grant program to award amounts and 
technical assistance to qualified zoological facilities to support the 
care of individuals of a conservation recovery species, rescued 
animals, and confiscated animals.
    (b) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a 
qualified zoological facility shall submit to the Secretary an 
application in such form, at such time, and containing such information 
as the Secretary determines appropriate, including a description of 
each eligible activity the qualified zoological facility will carry out 
with a grant awarded under this section.
    (c) Eligible Activities.--A qualified zoological facility that is 
awarded a grant under this section may use such grant to carry out the 
following activities with respect to individuals of a conservation 
recovery species, rescued animals, or confiscated animals:
            (1) Pay expenses related to--
                    (A) facility costs;
                    (B) food;
                    (C) veterinary care, including medicine and life 
                support systems;
                    (D) direct animal care staff;
                    (E) the transportation of an individual of a 
                conservation recovery species, rescued animal, or 
                confiscated animal for holding; and
                    (G) the reintroduction of an individual of a 
                conservation recovery species, rescued animal, or 
                confiscated animal into the wild.
            (2) Design and construct facilities to support the creation 
        of a network of facilities qualified to conduct rescue, 
        recovery, and reintroduction efforts for individuals of a 
        conservation recovery species, rescued animals, or confiscated 
        animals.
            (3) Develop rescue and rehabilitation technologies and 
        procedures, especially such technologies and procedures that 
        are necessary to support the rapid and safe reintroduction of 
        individuals of a conservation recovery species, rescued 
        animals, or confiscated animals.
    (d) Guidance; Criteria.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with 
stakeholders, including public and private entities that are actively 
involved in the care, rescue, rehabilitation, and reintroduction of any 
threatened or endangered species, issue--
            (1) guidance regarding the implementation of the grant 
        program established under subsection (a); and
            (2) criteria to award grants under this section.
    (e) Limitation.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Administrator, may not award a qualified zoological facility more than 
$1,000,000 under this section in a fiscal year, except in the event of 
an unusual mortality event, as determined by the Secretary in 
consultation with the Administrator.
    (f) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Federal share of an activity carried out with a grant awarded 
        under this section may not exceed 50 percent.
            (2) Exceptions.--
                    (A) Critical activity.--The Federal share of an 
                activity carried out with a grant awarded under this 
                section that is related to the development of a 
                facility, technology, or procedure that is critical for 
                the rescue and reintroduction of individuals of a 
                conservation recovery species, rescued animals, or 
                confiscated animals, as determined by the Secretary, 
                may not exceed 75 percent.
                    (B) Waiver of matching requirement.--The Secretary 
                may waive the application of paragraph (1) in the case 
                of an unusual mortality event or other declared 
                emergency, as determined by the Secretary.
    (g) Permit for Qualified Zoological Facilities.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a 
        programmatic permit under section 10 of the Endangered Species 
        Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1539) authorizing qualified zoological 
        facilities to conduct rescue, rehabilitation, and 
        reintroduction efforts for threatened or endangered species 
        under this section.
            (2) Contents.--The permit issued under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) shall, to the maximum extent possible--
                            (i) encourage and incentivize the rescue, 
                        rehabilitation, and reintroduction of 
                        threatened or endangered species; and
                            (ii) encourage and facilitate public 
                        display of rescued animals and the offspring of 
                        such rescued animals in participating qualified 
                        zoological facilities for educational purposes; 
                        and
                    (B) may not--
                            (i) regulate normal and accepted husbandry 
                        practices, including breeding;
                            (ii) prohibit the display of rescued 
                        animals for educational purposes; or
                            (iii) provide for Federal Government 
                        ownership of a rescued animal, or the offspring 
                        of such a rescued animal, that is placed in a 
                        qualified zoological facility for long-term 
                        care, except for an individual of a 
                        conservation recovery species.

SEC. 6. WILDLIFE CONFISCATIONS NETWORK.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with 
the Association to establish a voluntary, cooperative program to assist 
Federal wildlife law enforcement agencies with the placement and care 
of confiscated animals, to be known as the ``Wildlife Confiscations 
Network''.
    (b) Functions.--The Network shall--
            (1) establish a cooperative and coordinated response 
        protocol for the care and welfare of confiscated animals;
            (2) create and maintain a database of qualified zoological 
        facilities and other organizations that are members of the 
        Network that can provide immediate triage needs and long-term 
        housing and care for confiscated animals;
            (3) establish a committee within the Network to review and 
        approve or reject applications for inclusion in the Network 
        submitted under subsection (c) by entities listed in paragraph 
        (1) of that subsection; and
            (4) act as the single point of contact for Federal wildlife 
        law enforcement agencies to assist in the placement and care of 
        confiscated animals in qualified zoological facilities.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--Each of the following entities may submit 
        to the Committee an application to join the Network:
                    (A) Universities with expertise in the care of 
                confiscated animals.
                    (B) Wildlife sanctuaries.
                    (C) Association-accredited zoos.
                    (D) Association-accredited aquariums.
                    (E) Animal rescue organizations.
                    (F) Nongovernmental organizations with expertise in 
                the care of confiscated animals.
                    (G) Qualified zoological facilities.
            (2) Contents of application.--An application submitted 
        under paragraph (1) by an entity listed in that paragraph shall 
        contain information sufficient for the Committee to determine 
        whether such entity--
                    (A) has, as determined by the Committee, the 
                necessary credentials; and
                    (B) is an effective, responsible, and appropriate 
                entity that is capable of assisting Federal wildlife 
                law enforcement agencies in the placement and care of 
                confiscated animals.
            (3) Determination.--The Committee shall review each 
        application submitted under paragraph (1) and approve or reject 
        each such application.
    (d) Committee.--
            (1) Membership.--The Committee shall include 1 
        representative from each of the following entities:
                    (A) The Association.
                    (B) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
                    (C) A university with expertise in the care of 
                confiscated animals.
                    (D) A wildlife sanctuary.
                    (E) An Association-accredited zoo.
                    (F) An Association-accredited aquarium.
                    (G) An animal rescue organization.
                    (H) A nongovernmental organization with expertise 
                in the care of confiscated animals.
            (2) Initial members.--The Association, in consultation with 
        community stakeholders, including public and private entities 
        that are actively involved in the care, rescue, rehabilitation, 
        and reintroduction of any threatened or endangered species, 
        shall appoint each initial member to the Committee in 
        accordance with paragraph (1).
            (3) Subsequent members.--Except for the appointment of the 
        initial members of the Committee under paragraph (2), each 
        member of the Committee shall be elected by a majority vote of 
        the members of the Committee through a call for service and 
        application process implemented by the Committee.
            (4) Term of membership.--
                    (A) Initial members.--Of the initial members 
                appointed to the Committee by the Association under 
                paragraph (2), as determined by the Association in 
                consultation with the community stakeholders described 
                in that paragraph at the time of such appointment--
                            (i) 2 members shall be appointed for a term 
                        of 1 year;
                            (ii) 3 members shall be appointed for a 
                        term of 2 years; and
                            (iii) 3 members shall be appointed for a 
                        term of 3 years.
                    (B) Subsequent members.--Each member of the 
                Committee elected under paragraph (3) shall serve on 
                the Committee for a term of 3 years.

SEC. 7. FUNDING.

    The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretaries of Commerce, 
Agriculture, and State, shall identify existing authorizations and 
appropriations to implement this Act, and not later than 12 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, shall advise the Committee 
on Environment and Public Works in the Senate and the Committee on 
Natural Resources in the House if any additional authorizations are 
necessary.

SEC. 8. SAVINGS CLAUSE.

    Nothing in this Act may be construed to amend or otherwise affect 
the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program 
established under section 408(b)(1) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(b)(1)).
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