I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8828 

To restrict the use of steel-jaw leghold traps and Conibear traps on animals 

in the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 2, 2020 

Ms. ADAMS (for herself and Mrs. LOWEY) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 

to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs, 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 restrict the use of steel-jaw leghold traps and Conibear 

traps on animals in the United States. 

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 cited as the ‘‘Public Safety and 

5 Wildlife Protection Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY. 

7 It is the policy of the United States to reduce risks 

8 to public safety, as well as unnecessary harm to comVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:19 Dec 09, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8828.IH H8828

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1 panion animals and wildlife, from indiscriminate and inju2 rious trapping methods by prohibiting the import or ex3 port of, and the shipment in interstate commerce of, steel4 jaw leghold traps and Conibear traps. 

5 SEC. 3. PROHIBITED ACTS AND PENALTIES. 

6 (a) PROHIBITED ACTS.—It shall be unlawful for any 

7 person— 

8 (1) to import, export, deliver, carry, or trans9 port by any means whatever, in interstate commerce, 

10 any steel-jaw leghold trap or Conibear trap; or 

11 (2) to sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any 

12 steel-jaw leghold trap or Conibear trap that was de13 livered, carried, or transported in violation of para14 graph (1). 

15 (b) PENALTIES.—Whoever knowingly violates sub16 section (a) shall, in addition to any other penalty that may 

17 be imposed, be subject to the following: 

18 (1) For the first such violation, a civil fine of 

19 not more than $500 imposed by the Secretary for 

20 each steel-jaw leghold trap or Conibear trap pos21 sessed. 

22 (2) For each subsequent violation, a civil fine of 

23 not more than $1,000 imposed by the Secretary for 

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1 sessed, or imprisonment for not more than 2 years, 

2 or both. 

3 (c) PAYMENT OF COURT COSTS AND OTHER ASSOCI4 ATED EXPENSES.—A person found to be in violation of 

5 subsection (a) shall pay all court costs associated there6 with. 

7 SEC. 4. REWARDS. 

8 (a) GENERAL RULE.—The Secretary shall pay, to 

9 any person who furnishes information that leads to a con10 viction of a violation of any provision of this Act or any 

11 rule made under this Act, an amount equal to one-half 

12 of the fine paid pursuant to the conviction. 

13 (b) EXCEPTION.—Any officer or employee of the 

14 United States or of any State or local government who 

15 furnishes information or renders service in the perform16 ance of his or her official duties is not eligible for payment 

17 under this section. 

18 SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except with respect to violations 

20 of this Act to which subsection (b) applies, this Act and 

21 any rules made under this Act shall be enforced by the 

22 Secretary, who may use by agreement, with or without re23 imbursement, the personnel, services, and facilities of any 

24 other Federal agency or any State agency for purposes 

25 of enforcing this Act and such rules. 


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1 (b) IMPORT AND EXPORT VIOLATIONS.— 

2 (1) IMPORT VIOLATIONS.—The importation of 

3 articles in violation of section 3(a) shall be treated 

4 as a violation of the customs laws of the United 

5 States, and those provisions of law relating to viola6 tions of the customs laws of the United States shall 

7 apply thereto. 

8 (2) EXPORT VIOLATIONS.—The authorities 

9 under the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 

10 U.S.C. App. 2401 et seq.) (as continued in effect 

11 under the International Emergency Economic Pow12 ers Act), including penalties, shall be used to enforce 

13 the provisions of this Act relating to the export of 

14 articles in violation of section 3(a). 

15 (c) FORFEITURE.— 

16 (1) GENERAL RULE.—Except with respect to 

17 exports to which the provisions of the Export Ad18 ministration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2401 et 

19 seq.) (as continued in effect under the International 

20 Emergency Economic Powers Act) apply, and im21 ports to which the customs laws of the United States 

22 apply, pursuant to subsection (b), any steel-jaw 

23 leghold trap or Conibear trap taken, possessed, sold, 

24 purchased, offered for sale or purchase, imported, 

25 exported, transported, delivered, received, carried, or 


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1 shipped in violation of this Act or any rule made 

2 under this Act, shall be subject to forfeiture to the 

3 United States. Those provisions of law relating to— 

4 (A) the seizure, summary and judicial for5 feiture, and condemnation of property for viola6 tions of the customs laws of the United States; 

7 (B) the disposition of such property or the 

8 proceeds from the sale thereof; 

9 (C) the remission or mitigation of such for10 feitures; and 

11 (D) the compromise of claims, 

12 shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or 

13 alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions 

14 of this subsection, insofar as applicable and not in15 consistent with this Act. 

16 (2) ENFORCEMENT.—Such duties as are im17 posed upon the customs officer or any other person 

18 with respect to the seizure and forfeiture of property 

19 under the customs laws of the United States may be 

20 performed with respect to seizures and forfeitures of 

21 property under this subsection by the Secretary or 

22 such officers and employees as may be authorized or 

23 designated for that purpose by the Secretary, or, 

24 upon the request of the Secretary, by any other 


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1 agency that has authority to manage and dispose of 

2 seized property. 

3 (d) INJUNCTIONS.—The Attorney General of the 

4 United States may seek to enjoin any person who is al5 leged to be in violation of this Act or any rule made under 

6 this Act. 

7 (e) COOPERATION.—The Secretary of Commerce, the 

8 Secretary of the Treasury, and the head of any other de9 partment or agency with enforcement responsibilities 

10 under this Act shall cooperate with the Secretary in ensur11 ing that this Act, and rules made under this Act, are en12 forced in the most effective and efficient manner. 

13 SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act: 

15 (1) STEEL-JAW LEGHOLD TRAP.—The term 

16 ‘‘steel-jaw leghold trap’’— 

17 (A) means any spring-powered pan or sear18 activated device with one or two opposing steel 

19 jaws, whether the jaws are smooth, toothed, 

20 padded, enclosed (dog-proof), or offset, that is 

21 designed to capture an animal by snapping 

22 closed upon the animal’s limb, foot, or part 

23 thereof; and 


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1 (B) does not include any cage or box trap; 

2 suitcase-type live beaver trap; or mouse or rat 

3 snap trap. 

4 (2) CONIBEAR TRAP.—The term ‘‘Conibear 

5 trap’’— 

6 (A) means any trap consisting of two 

7 metal frames hinged at the center point and 

8 powered by two torsion springs to create a scis9 sor-like action designed to kill an animal by 

10 snapping an animal’s spinal column; and 

11 (B) does not include any cage or box trap; 

12 suitcase-type live beaver trap; mouse or rat 

13 snap trap. 

14 (3) CUSTOMS LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.— 

15 The term ‘‘customs laws of the United States’’ 

16 means any other law or regulation enforced or ad17 ministered by the United States Customs Service. 

18 (4) IMPORT.—The term ‘‘import’’ means to 

19 land on, bring into, or introduce into, any place sub20 ject to the jurisdiction of the United States, whether 

21 or not such landing, bringing, or introduction con22 stitutes an entry into the customs territory of the 

23 United States. 


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1 (5) INTERSTATE COMMERCE.—The term ‘‘inter2 state commerce’’ has the meaning given such term 

3 in section 10 of title 18, United States Code. 

4 (6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

5 the Secretary of the Interior. 

6 SEC. 7. RULEMAKING. 

7 The Secretary may make rules to carry out this Act. 

8 SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

9 This Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of 

10 the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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