I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5217 
To amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 
to prohibit the possession or use of body-gripping traps in the National 
Wildlife Refuge System, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 15, 2023 
Mr. NADLER (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. BOYLE of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. CASTEN, Ms. CHU, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. 
DELBENE, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. KILMER, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. 
MCCOLLUM, Ms. MENG, Mr. MOSKOWITZ, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. 
NEGUSE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. SCHIFF, and Ms. 
TOKUDA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administra-
tion Act of 1966 to prohibit the possession or use of 
body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge Sys-
tem, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Refuge From Cruel 
Trapping Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP PRO-
HIBITED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 4(f), by striking ‘‘this Act’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘this section’’; and 
(2) by inserting after section 4 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 4A. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP 
PROHIBITED. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), a person may not possess or use a body-gripping trap 
in the System. 
‘‘(b) EXCEPTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) FEDERAL AGENCY.—Subsection (a) does 
not apply to the possession or use of a body-gripping 
trap by a Federal agency— 
‘‘(A) to— 
‘‘(i) control an invasive species to 
achieve resource management objectives; or 
‘‘(ii) protect a species that— 
‘‘(I) is listed as threatened or en-
dangered under the Endangered Spe-
cies Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.); or 
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‘‘(II) the Secretary has des-
ignated as a sensitive species; and 
‘‘(B) if— 
‘‘(i) such use is in accordance with 
Federal and State law; and 
‘‘(ii) all other viable nonlethal meth-
ods for achieving a goal described in sub-
paragraph (A) have been thoroughly ex-
plored, described, and attempted and docu-
mentation of such activities is maintained 
at the relevant headquarters of the Federal 
agency that carried out such exploration, 
description, and attempt. 
‘‘(2) DISMANTLING.—Subsection (a) does not 
apply to the dismantling of body-gripping traps. 
‘‘(3) ALASKA.—Subsection (a) does not apply to 
the System in Alaska. 
‘‘(4) MEMBERS OF INDIAN TRIBES.—Subsection 
(a) does not apply to the possession or use of a 
body-gripping trap by a member of a federally recog-
nized Indian Tribe for subsistence purposes. 
‘‘(c) PENALTIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A person who violates sub-
section (a) shall be subject to— 
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‘‘(A) a civil fine of not more than $500 
for— 
‘‘(i) each body-gripping trap pos-
sessed; and 
‘‘(ii) each use of a body-gripping trap; 
‘‘(B) imprisonment for not more than 180 
days; or 
‘‘(C) both a civil fine and imprisonment in 
accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B). 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENT FOR INFLATION.—The Sec-
retary shall annually adjust the fine described in 
paragraph (1) to reflect the change in the Consumer 
Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by 
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of 
Labor. 
‘‘(d) FORFEITURE.—Any body-gripping trap that is 
possessed or used in violation of this section, and any wild-
life captured through the use of such body-gripping trap, 
including a pelt or raw fur of such wildlife, shall be subject 
to forfeiture to the United States in accordance with the 
provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, United States Code, 
relating to civil forfeitures. 
‘‘(e) PAYMENT OF ASSOCIATED COURT COSTS.—A 
person found to be in violation of subsection (a) shall pay 
all associated court costs. 
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‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) BODY-GRIPPING TRAP.—The term ‘body- 
gripping trap’— 
‘‘(A) means any device that is intended to 
kill or capture wildlife by physically restraining 
any part of the animal; 
‘‘(B) includes any— 
‘‘(i) steel-jaw, padded, or other modi-
fied leghold trap; 
‘‘(ii) kill-type trap; 
‘‘(iii) snare trap; or 
‘‘(iv) modified version of any trap de-
scribed in clauses (i) through (iii); and 
‘‘(C) does not include any— 
‘‘(i) cage or box trap; or 
‘‘(ii) suitcase-type live beaver trap. 
‘‘(2) INVASIVE
SPECIES.—The term ‘invasive 
species’ means, with regard to a particular eco-
system, a non-native organism the introduction of 
which causes or is likely to cause economic or envi-
ronmental harm, or harm to human, animal, or 
plant health.’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
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Secretary of the Interior shall issue any regulations 
necessary to carry out the amendments made by 
subsection (a). 
(2) ENFORCEABILITY.—The enforceability of 
the amendments made by subsection (a) shall not be 
affected by a failure of the Secretary of the Interior 
to issue regulations under paragraph (1). 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 120 
days after the date of the enactment of this section. 
Æ 
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