I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1787
To assist in the conservation of Asian elephants by supporting and providing
financial resources for the conservation programs of nations within the
range of Asian elephants and projects of persons with demonstrated
expertise in the conservation of Asian elephants.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 4, 1997
Mr. SAXTON (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. MIL-
LER of California, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. COOK, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr.
EHLERS, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. FRANKS
of New Jersey, Mr.
GILCHREST, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. HINCHEY, Mrs. KELLY, Mrs.
MORELLA, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. UPTON, and Mr. TRAFICANT)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Re-
sources, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, 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 com-
mittee concerned
A BILL
To assist in the conservation of Asian elephants by support-
ing and providing financial resources for the conservation
programs of nations within the range of Asian elephants
and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in
the conservation of Asian elephants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Asian Elephant Con-
servation Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Asian elephant populations in nations with-
in the range of Asian elephants have continued to
decline to the point that the long-term survival of
the species in the wild is in serious jeopardy.
(2) The Asian elephant is listed as an endan-
gered species under section 4 of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 and under appendix I of the
Convention on International Trade of Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
(3) Because the challenges facing the conserva-
tion of Asian elephants are so great, resources to
date have not been sufficient to cope with the con-
tinued loss of habitat and the consequent diminution
of Asian elephant populations.
(4) The Asian elephant is a flagship species for
the conservation of tropical forest habitats in which
it is found and provides the consequent benefit from
such conservation to numerous other species of wild-
life including many other endangered species.
(5) Among the threats to the Asian elephant in
addition to habitat loss are population fragmenta-
tion, human-elephant conflict, poaching for ivory,
meat, hide, bones and teeth, and capture for domes-
tication.
(6) To reduce, remove, or otherwise effectively
address these threats to the long-term viability of
populations of Asian elephants in the wild will re-
quire the joint commitment and effort of nations
within the range of Asian elephants, the United
States and other countries, and the private sector.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are the following:
(1) To perpetuate healthy populations of Asian
elephants.
(2) To assist in the conservation and protection
of Asian elephants by supporting the conservation
programs of Asian elephant range states and the
CITES Secretariat.
(3) To provide financial resources for those pro-
grams.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘CITES’’ means the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora, signed on March 3, 1973,
and its appendices.
(2) The term ‘‘conservation’’ means the use of
methods and procedures necessary to bring Asian
elephants to the point at which there are sufficient
populations in the wild to ensure that the species
does not become extinct, including all activities asso-
ciated with scientific resource management, such as
conservation, protection, restoration, acquisition, and
management of habitat; research and monitoring of
known populations; assistance in the development of
management plans for managed elephant ranges;
CITES enforcement; law enforcement through com-
munity participation; translocation of elephants; con-
flict resolution initiatives; and community outreach
and education.
(3) The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Asian Ele-
phant Conservation Fund established under section
6(a).
(4) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(5) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Agency for International Develop-
ment.
SEC. 5. ASIAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, subject to the
availability of funds and in consultation with the Adminis-