I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1800
To end the use of conventional steel-jawed leghold traps on animals in 
the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 11, 2003
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ACKERMAN, 
Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BORDALLO, Mrs. 
CAPPS, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. 
DEFAZIO, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. 
ESHOO, Mr. FARR, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. 
GALLEGLY, Mr. GOSS, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. 
HOLT, Mr. HONDA, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. KIL-
DEE, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, 
Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. MARKEY, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Ms. 
MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. MEEHAN, 
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. NAD-
LER, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PRICE 
of 
North 
Carolina, 
Mr. 
ROTHMAN, 
Ms. 
ROYBAL-ALLARD, 
Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, 
Mr. STARK, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. 
WAXMAN, Mr. WEXLER, and Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, International Relations, 
and the 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.
(b) PENALTIES.—Whoever knowingly violates sub-
section (a) shall, in addition to any other penalty that may 
be imposed—
(1) for the first such violation, be imprisoned 
for not more than 5 days or fined under title 18, 
United States Code, or both; and 
(2) for each subsequent violation, be imprisoned 
for not more than two years or fined under title 18, 
United States Code, or both. 
SEC. 3. REWARDS. 
(a) GENERAL RULE.—The Secretary shall pay, to 
any person who furnishes information which leads to a 
conviction of a violation of any provision of this Act or 
any rule made under this Act, an amount equal to one-
half of the fine paid pursuant to the conviction. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—Any officer or employee of the 
United States or of any State or local government who 
furnishes information or renders service in the perform-
ance of his or her official duties is not eligible for payment 
under this section. 
SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except with respect to violations 
of this Act to which subsection (b) applies, this Act and 
any rules made under this Act shall be enforced by the 
Secretary, who may utilize by agreement, with or without
reimbursement, the personnel, services, and facilities of 
any other Federal agency or any State agency for pur-
poses of enforcing this Act and such rules. 
(b) IMPORT AND EXPORT VIOLATIONS.—
(1) IMPORT VIOLATIONS.—The importation of 
articles in violation of section 2(a) shall be treated 
as a violation of the customs laws of the United 
States, and those provisions of law relating to viola-
tions of the customs laws of the United States shall 
apply thereto. 
(2) 
EXPORT
VIOLATIONS.—The 
authorities 
under the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 
U.S.C. App. 2401 et seq.) (including penalties) shall 
be used to enforce the provisions of this Act relating 
to the export of articles in violation of section 2(a). 
(c) ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.—Any person hav-
ing authority to enforce this Act (except with respect to 
violations to which subsection (b) applies), may, in exer-
cising such authority—
(1) detain for inspection, search, and seize any 
package, crate, or other container, including its con-
tents, and all accompanying documents, if such indi-
vidual has reasonable cause to suspect that in such 
package, crate, or other container are articles with 
respect to which a violation of this Act (except with
respect to a violation to which subsection (b) ap-
plies) has occurred, is occurring, or is about to 
occur; 
(2) make arrests without a warrant for any vio-
lation of this Act (except with respect to a violation 
to which subsection (b) applies) committed in his or 
her presence or view, or if the individual has prob-
able cause to believe that the person to be arrested 
has committed or is committing such a violation; 
and 
(3) execute and serve any arrest warrant, 
search warrant, or other warrant or criminal process 
issued by any judge or magistrate of any court of 
competent jurisdiction for enforcement of this Act 
(except with respect to violations to which subsection 
(b) applies). 
(d) FORFEITURE.—
(1) GENERAL RULE.—Except with respect to 
exports to which the provisions of the Export Ad-
ministration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2401 et 
seq.) apply, and imports to which the customs laws 
of the United States apply, pursuant to subsection 
(b), any article of fur or conventional steel-jawed 
leghold trap taken, possessed, sold, purchased, of-
fered for sale or purchase, imported, exported, trans-
ported, delivered, received, carried, or shipped in vio-
lation of this Act or any rule made under this Act, 
shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. 
Those provisions of law relating to—
(A) the seizure, summary and judicial for-
feiture, and condemnation of property for viola-
tions of the customs laws of the United States, 
(B) the disposition of such property or the 
proceeds from the sale thereof, 
(C) the remission or mitigation of such for-
feitures, and 
(D) the compromise of claims, 
shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or 
alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions 
of this subsection, insofar as applicable and not in-
consistent with this Act. 
(2) ENFORCEMENT.—Such duties as are im-
posed upon the customs officer or any other person 
with respect to the seizure and forfeiture of property 
under the customs laws of the United States may be 
performed with respect to seizures and forfeitures of 
property under this subsection by the Secretary or 
such officers and employees as may be authorized or 
designated for that purpose by the Secretary, or, 
upon the request of the Secretary, by any other
agency that has authority to manage and dispose of 
seized property. 
(e) INJUNCTIONS.—The Attorney General of the 
United States may seek to enjoin any person who is al-
leged to be in violation of this Act or any rule made under 
this Act. 
(f) COOPERATION.—The Secretary of Commerce, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, and the head of any other de-
partment or agency with enforcement responsibilities 
under this Act shall cooperate with the Secretary in ensur-
ing that this Act, and rules made under this Act, are en-
forced in the most effective and efficient manner. 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘article of fur’’ means—
(A) any furskin (as such term is used 
under headnote 1 of chapter 43 of the Har-
monized Tariff Schedule of the United States), 
including any raw furskin classified under head-
ing 4301 of such Schedule; or 
(B) any article, however produced, that 
consists in whole or part of any such furskin. 
(2) The term ‘‘conventional steel-jawed leghold 
trap’’ means any spring-powered pan or sear-acti-
vated device with two opposing steel jaws, whether
the jaws are smooth, toothed, padded, or offset, 
which is designed to capture an animal by snapping 
closed upon the animal’s limb or part thereof. 
(3) The term ‘‘customs laws of the United 
States’’ means any other law or regulation enforced 
or administered by the United States Customs Serv-
ice. 
(4) The term ‘‘import’’ means to land on, bring 
into, or introduce into, any place subject to the ju-
risdiction of the United States, whether or not such 
landing, bringing, or introduction constitutes an 
entry into the customs territory of the United 
States. 
(5) The term ‘‘interstate commerce’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 10 of title 18, 
United States Code. 
(6) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of the Interior. 
SEC. 6. RULEMAKING. 
The Secretary may make rules to carry out this Act. 
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act shall take effect one year after the date of 
its enactment.
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