I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5127 
To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 15, 2019 
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. LAN-
GEVIN, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. 
KHANNA, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. ESPAILLAT, 
Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. KILMER, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. PETERS, Ms. NORTON, 
Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. POCAN, Ms. 
JAYAPAL, Mr. NADLER, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Ms. CLARKE of 
New York, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. DEAN, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. SIRES, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. SHALALA, 
Ms. GABBARD, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. TED 
LIEU of California, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. KEATING, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. 
LOWENTHAL, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY 
of New York, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. CORREA, Mr. RASKIN, and Ms. 
SPEIER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National 
Wildlife Refuge System, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Refuge From Cruel 
Trapping Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP PRO-
HIBITED. 
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration 
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 6. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP 
PROHIBITED. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—No person may possess or use 
a body-gripping trap in the System. 
‘‘(b) ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS.—Notwithstanding 
section 4(f), a person who possesses or uses a body-grip-
ping trap in the System shall be subject to the following: 
‘‘(1) In the case of a first offense, a civil fine 
of not more than $500 imposed by the Secretary for 
each body-gripping trap possessed or used. 
‘‘(2) In the case of a subsequent offense— 
‘‘(A) a civil fine of not more than $1,000 
imposed by the Secretary for each body-grip-
ping trap possessed or used; 
‘‘(B) imprisonment for not more than 180 
days; or 
‘‘(C) both a civil fine and imprisonment in 
accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B). 
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‘‘(c) FORFEITURE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP.—Any 
body-gripping trap that is possessed or used in violation 
of this section, and any wildlife captured by the use of 
such trap, including the pelt or raw fur of such wildlife, 
shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States in ac-
cordance with the provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, 
United States Code, relating to civil forfeitures. 
‘‘(d) PAYMENT OF COURT COSTS AND OTHER ASSO-
CIATED EXPENSES.—A person found to be in violation of 
subsection (a) shall pay all associated court costs. 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 120 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(f) BODY-GRIPPING TRAP DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘body-gripping trap’— 
‘‘(1) except as provided in paragraph (3), 
means any device that is intended to kill or capture 
wildlife by physically restraining any part of the ani-
mal; 
‘‘(2) includes any— 
‘‘(A) steel-jaw, padded, or other modified 
leghold trap; 
‘‘(B) kill-type trap; 
‘‘(C) snare trap; or 
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‘‘(D) modified version of any such trap; 
and 
‘‘(3) does not include any— 
‘‘(A) cage or box trap; or 
‘‘(B) suitcase-type live beaver trap.’’. 
Æ 
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