I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1691 

To end the use of conventional steel-jawed leghold traps on animals in 

the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 26, 2007 

Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. 

GRIJALVA, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. BERKLEY, and Mr. 

MCNULTY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on 

Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, and Judiciary, 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 end the use of conventional steel-jawed leghold 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 ‘‘Inhumane Trapping 

5 Prevention Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY. 

7 It is the policy of the United States to end the need8 less maiming and suffering inflicted upon animals through 


hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
2 

•HR 1691 IH

1 the use of conventional steel-jawed leghold traps by pro2 hibiting the import or export of, and the shipment in inter3 state commerce of, such traps and of articles of fur from 

4 animals that were trapped in such 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, or transport in interstate 

9 commerce an article of fur, if any part or portion of 

10 such article is derived from an animal that was 

11 trapped in a conventional steel-jawed leghold trap; 

12 (2) to import, export, deliver, carry, or trans13 port by any means whatever, in interstate commerce, 

14 any conventional steel-jawed leghold trap; 

15 (3) to sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any 

16 conventional steel-jawed leghold trap that was deliv17 ered, carried, or transported in violation of para18 graph (2); or 

19 (4) to violate any rule made by the Secretary 

20 under this Act. 

21 (b) PENALTIES.—Whoever knowingly violates sub22 section (a) shall, in addition to any other penalty that may 

23 be imposed— 


hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
3 

•HR 1691 IH

1 (1) for the first such violation, be imprisoned 

2 for not more than 5 days or fined under title 18, 

3 United States Code, or both; and 

4 (2) for each subsequent violation, be imprisoned 

5 for not more than two years or fined under title 18, 

6 United States Code, or both. 

7 SEC. 4. REWARDS. 

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

9 any person who furnishes information which leads to a 

10 conviction of a violation of any provision of this Act or 

11 any rule made under this Act, an amount equal to one12 half 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 utilize by agreement, with or without 

23 reimbursement, the personnel, services, and facilities of 

24 any other Federal agency or any State agency for pur25 poses of enforcing this Act and such rules. 


hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
4 

•HR 1691 IH

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) ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.—Any person hav16 ing authority to enforce this Act (except with respect to 

17 violations to which subsection (b) applies), may, in exer18 cising such authority— 

19 (1) detain for inspection, search, and seize any 

20 package, crate, or other container, including its con21 tents, and all accompanying documents, if such indi22 vidual has reasonable cause to suspect that in such 

23 package, crate, or other container are articles with 

24 respect to which a violation of this Act (except with 

25 respect to a violation to which subsection (b) apVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:27 Mar 29, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1691.IH H1691

hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
5 

•HR 1691 IH

1 plies) has occurred, is occurring, or is about to 

2 occur; 

3 (2) make arrests without a warrant for any vio4 lation of this Act (except with respect to a violation 

5 to which subsection (b) applies) committed in his or 

6 her presence or view, or if the individual has prob7 able cause to believe that the person to be arrested 

8 has committed or is committing such a violation; 

9 and 

10 (3) execute and serve any arrest warrant, 

11 search warrant, or other warrant or criminal process 

12 issued by any judge or magistrate of any court of 

13 competent jurisdiction for enforcement of this Act 

14 (except with respect to violations to which subsection 

15 (b) applies). 

16 (d) FORFEITURE.— 

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

18 exports to which the provisions of the Export Ad19 ministration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2401 et 

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

21 Emergency Economic Powers Act) apply, and im22 ports to which the customs laws of the United States 

23 apply, pursuant to subsection (b), any article of fur 

24 or conventional steel-jawed leghold trap taken, pos25 sessed, sold, purchased, offered for sale or purchase, 


hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
6 

•HR 1691 IH

1 imported, exported, transported, delivered, received, 

2 carried, or shipped in violation of this Act or any 

3 rule made under this Act, shall be subject to for4 feiture to the United States. Those provisions of law 

5 relating to— 

6 (A) the seizure, summary and judicial for7 feiture, and condemnation of property for viola8 tions of the customs laws of the United States, 

9 (B) the disposition of such property or the 

10 proceeds from the sale thereof, 

11 (C) the remission or mitigation of such for12 feitures, and 

13 (D) the compromise of claims, 

14 shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or 

15 alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions 

16 of this subsection, insofar as applicable and not in17 consistent with this Act. 

18 (2) ENFORCEMENT.—Such duties as are im19 posed upon the customs officer or any other person 

20 with respect to the seizure and forfeiture of property 

21 under the customs laws of the United States may be 

22 performed with respect to seizures and forfeitures of 

23 property under this subsection by the Secretary or 

24 such officers and employees as may be authorized or 

25 designated for that purpose by the Secretary, or, 


hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
7 

•HR 1691 IH

1 upon the request of the Secretary, by any other 

2 agency that has authority to manage and dispose of 

3 seized property. 

4 (e) INJUNCTIONS.—The Attorney General of the 

5 United States may seek to enjoin any person who is al6 leged to be in violation of this Act or any rule made under 

7 this Act. 

8 (f) COOPERATION.—The Secretary of Commerce, the 

9 Secretary of the Treasury, and the head of any other de10 partment or agency with enforcement responsibilities 

11 under this Act shall cooperate with the Secretary in ensur12 ing that this Act, and rules made under this Act, are en13 forced in the most effective and efficient manner. 

14 SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 

15 In this Act: 

16 (1) The term ‘‘article of fur’’ means— 

17 (A) any furskin (as such term is used 

18 under Note 1 of chapter 43 of the Harmonized 

19 Tariff Schedule of the United States), including 

20 any raw furskin classified under heading 4301 

21 of such Schedule; or 

22 (B) any article, however produced, that 

23 consists in whole or part of any such furskin. 

24 (2) The term ‘‘conventional steel-jawed leghold 

25 trap’’ means any spring-powered pan or sear-actiVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:27 Mar 29, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1691.IH H1691

hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS
8 

•HR 1691 IH

1 vated device with two opposing steel jaws, whether 

2 the jaws are smooth, toothed, padded, or offset, 

3 which is designed to capture an animal by snapping 

4 closed upon the animal’s limb or part thereof. 

5 (3) The term ‘‘customs laws of the United 

6 States’’ means any other law or regulation enforced 

7 or administered by the United States Customs Serv8 ice. 

9 (4) The term ‘‘import’’ means to land on, bring 

10 into, or introduce into, any place subject to the ju11 risdiction of the United States, whether or not such 

12 landing, bringing, or introduction constitutes an 

13 entry into the customs territory of the United 

14 States. 

15 (5) The term ‘‘interstate commerce’’ has the 

16 meaning given such term in section 10 of title 18, 

17 United States Code. 

18 (6) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

19 of the Interior. 

20 SEC. 7. RULEMAKING. 

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

22 SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

23 This Act shall take effect one year after the date of 

24 its enactment. 

Æ 


hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMBILLS