I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 398 
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to civil forfeitures 
relating to certain seized animals. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 10, 2017 
Mr. KATKO (for himself, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, 
and Ms. JACKSON LEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to 
civil forfeitures relating to certain seized animals. 
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 ‘‘Help Extract Animals 
from Red Tape Act of 2017’’ or the ‘‘HEART Act of 
2017’’. 
SEC. 2. REDUCED NOTICE PERIOD. 
(a) NOTICE TIMING FOR CASES OF ANIMAL SEI-
ZURE.—Section 983(a)(1)(A) of title 18, United States 
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Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(vi) With respect to an animal seized 
under section 26 of the Animal Welfare 
Act or under section 1955 of this title, 
clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (v), shall be ap-
plied by substituting ‘30-days’ for ‘60- 
days’.’’. 
(b) NOTICE PROCEDURES FOR CASES OF ANIMAL 
SEIZURE.—Section 983(a)(1) of title 18, United States 
Code, as amended by this Act, is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B) by inserting ‘‘and with 
respect to an animal seized under section 26 of the 
Animal Welfare Act or section 1955 of this title, 
that the delay is warranted in light of the criteria 
in subparagraph (G)’’ after ‘‘if the official deter-
mines that the conditions in subparagraph (D) are 
present,’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (C) by inserting ‘‘and with 
respect to an animal seized under section 26 of the 
Animal Welfare Act or section 1955 of this title, 
that the delay is warranted in light of the criteria 
in subparagraph (G)’’ after ‘‘that the conditions in 
subparagraph (D) are present,’’; and 
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(3) by adding after subparagraph (F), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(G) With respect to an animal seized 
under section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act or 
section 1955 of this title, the period for sending 
notice under this paragraph may be extended 
only after consideration of the following: 
‘‘(i) The cost to the government of 
caring and providing shelter for the ani-
mal. 
‘‘(ii) The psychological and physical 
health of the animal and the effect the 
delay will have on its rehabilitation. 
‘‘(iii) Any increased risk that the 
delay could necessitate the euthanasia of 
the animal.’’. 
SEC. 3. SEIZURES OF ANIMALS. 
(a) 
PAYMENT
FOR
CERTAIN
COSTS.—Section 
524(c)(1) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by 
adding after subparagraph (I), the following: 
‘‘(J) payment for the transportation, shel-
ter, care, veterinary services, and where appro-
priate, humane euthanasia of an animal seized 
under section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act or 
under section 1955 of title 18.’’. 
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(b) REIMBURSEMENT AND PROPORTIONALITY.—Sec-
tion 983(h) of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end, the following: 
‘‘(4) In any civil forfeiture proceeding in which 
the Government prevails, the court shall require the 
claimant, to reimburse the United States for any ac-
tual and reasonable costs to the government for the 
transportation, shelter, care, veterinary services, or 
where appropriate, humane euthanasia of an animal 
that was the subject of the proceeding. The reim-
bursement shall be credited to the agency or fund 
that was used to pay the costs being reimbursed. 
‘‘(5) In any civil forfeiture proceeding in which 
an animal is subject of the proceeding, the court 
may reduce the size of a reimbursement based on 
any of the following factors: 
‘‘(A) The seriousness of the offense. 
‘‘(B) The culpability of the claimant. 
‘‘(C) The claimant’s prior record. 
‘‘(D) The claimant’s financial condition 
and need to support a family. 
‘‘(E) The purpose of the forfeiture statute 
in question.’’. 
Æ 
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