I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5677 
To amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to prohibit the importation into the United 
States of plastinated human remains. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 2, 2008 
Mr. AKIN (for himself and Mr. WOLF) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to prohibit the importation 
into the United States of plastinated human remains. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 
1. 
PROHIBITION 
ON 
IMPORTATION 
OF 
PLASTINATED HUMAN REMAINS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Part I of title III of the Tariff 
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1304 et seq.) is amended by in-
serting after section 308 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 
308A. 
PROHIBITION 
ON 
IMPORTATION 
OF 
PLASTINATED HUMAN REMAINS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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‘‘(1) CUSTOMS LAWS.—The term ‘customs laws 
of the United States’ means any other law or regula-
tion enforced or administered by U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection of the Department of Homeland 
Security. 
‘‘(2) PERSON.—The term ‘person’ includes any 
individual, partnership, corporation, association, or-
ganization, business trust, government entity, or 
other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United 
States. 
‘‘(3) PLASTINATED
HUMAN
REMAINS.—The 
term ‘plastinated human remains’ means human re-
mains, including tissues, organs, and other body 
parts, that are preserved from decay by replacing 
the water and fats in the human remains with a 
polymer. 
‘‘(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
‘‘(5) UNITED
STATES.—The term ‘United 
States’ means the customs territory of the United 
States, as defined in general note 2 of the Har-
monized Tariff Schedule of the United States. 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful for any per-
son to import into the United States any plastinated 
human remains. 
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‘‘(c) PENALTIES.— 
‘‘(1) CIVIL PENALTIES.—Any person who vio-
lates any provision of this section or any regulation 
issued under this section may, in addition to any 
other civil or criminal penalty that may be imposed 
under title 18, United States Code, or any other 
provision of law, be assessed a civil penalty by the 
designated authority of not more than— 
‘‘(A) $10,000 for each separate knowing 
and intentional violation; 
‘‘(B) $5,000 for each separate grossly neg-
ligent violation; or 
‘‘(C) $3,000 for each separate negligent 
violation. 
‘‘(2) FORFEITURE.—Any plastinated human re-
mains imported contrary to the provisions of this 
section or any regulation issued under this section 
shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. 
‘‘(d) ENFORCEMENT.—The Secretary shall enforce 
the provisions of this section with respect to the prohibi-
tion under subsection (b). 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 270 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall, after notice and opportunity for comment, issue reg-
ulations to carry out the provisions of this section. 
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‘‘(f) COORDINATION WITH OTHER LAWS.—Nothing 
in this section shall be construed as superseding or lim-
iting in any manner the functions and responsibilities of 
the Secretary under the customs laws of the United 
States.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 308A of the Tariff 
Act of 1930, as added by subsection (a), applies with re-
spect to the importation of plastinated human remains on 
or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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