I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5694 
To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to protect the cultural 
practices and livelihoods of producers of Alaska Native handicrafts and 
marine mammal ivory products, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 6, 2025 
Mr. BEGICH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to 
protect the cultural practices and livelihoods of producers 
of Alaska Native handicrafts and marine mammal ivory 
products, 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 ‘‘Alaska’s Right To 
Ivory Sales and Tradition Act’’ or the ‘‘ARTIST Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ALASKA NATIVE HANDICRAFTS. 
Section 101(b) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
Of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1371(b)) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) EXEMPTION FOR ALASKAN NATIVES.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) AUTHENTIC ALASKA NATIVE ARTICLE 
OF HANDICRAFTS AND CLOTHING.—The term 
‘authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts 
and clothing’ means an item composed wholly, 
or in some significant respect, of natural mate-
rials that is produced, decorated, or fashioned 
in the exercise of traditional Alaska Native 
handicrafts by an Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo who 
resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast 
of the North Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean 
without the use of a pantograph, multiple 
carvers, or any other mass copying device. 
‘‘(B) MARINE MAMMAL IVORY.—The term 
‘marine mammal ivory’ includes a tooth or tusk 
from a species of walrus, narwhal, or whale. 
‘‘(C) 
TRADITIONAL
ALASKA
NATIVE 
HANDICRAFTS.—The term ‘traditional Alaska 
Native handicrafts’ includes weaving, carving, 
stitching, sewing, lacing, beading, drawing, and 
painting. 
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‘‘(2) EXEMPTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
section 109, the provisions of this Act shall not 
apply with respect to the taking of any marine 
mammal by any Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo who 
resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast 
of the North Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean 
if such taking— 
‘‘(i)(I) is for subsistence purposes; or 
‘‘(II) is done for purposes of creating 
and selling authentic Alaska Native articles 
of handicrafts and clothing; and 
‘‘(ii) in each case, is not accomplished 
in a wasteful manner. 
‘‘(B) SPECIAL RULES.— 
‘‘(i) 
INTERSTATE
COMMERCE
OF 
ITEMS.—An item presented as an authen-
tic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and 
clothing may be sold in interstate com-
merce only if it comports with the defini-
tion provided in paragraph (1)(A). 
‘‘(ii) EDIBLE
PORTION
OF
MARINE 
MAMMAL.—Any edible portion of a marine 
mammal taken for the primary purpose of 
creating and selling authentic Alaska Na-
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tive articles of handicrafts and clothing 
may be sold in a native village or town in 
Alaska or for native consumption. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (2), if, under this Act, the Secretary de-
termines any species or stock of marine mam-
mal subject to taking by Indians, Aleuts, or Es-
kimos to be depleted, the Secretary may pre-
scribe regulations upon the taking of such ma-
rine mammals by any Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo 
described in this subsection. 
‘‘(B) CONTENT
OF
REGULATIONS.—The 
regulations described in subparagraph (A) may 
be established with reference to species or 
stocks, geographical description of the area in-
cluded, the season for taking, or any other fac-
tors related to the reason for establishing such 
regulations and consistent with the purposes of 
this Act. 
‘‘(C) NOTICE AND HEARING; REMOVAL OF 
REGULATIONS.—The regulations described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be prescribed after no-
tice and hearing required by section 103 of this 
title and shall be removed as soon as the Sec-
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retary determines that the need for their impo-
sition has disappeared. 
‘‘(D) REGULATIONS TO BE SUPPORTED BY 
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.—In promulgating any 
regulation or making any assessment pursuant 
to a hearing or proceeding under this sub-
section or section 117(b)(2), or in making any 
determination of depletion under this subsection 
or finding regarding unmitigable adverse im-
pacts under subsection (a)(5) that affects 
stocks or persons to which this subsection ap-
plies, the Secretary shall demonstrate in writing 
(and make such writing publicly available on 
the website of the Secretary) that, in consider-
ation of the whole record, including Indigenous 
knowledge, such regulation, assessment, deter-
mination, or finding is supported by substantial 
evidence. The preceding sentence shall only be 
applicable in an action brought by one or more 
Alaska Native organizations representing per-
sons to which this subsection applies. 
‘‘(4) PROHIBITIONS.—No State shall prohibit 
the importation, sale, offer for sale, transfer, trade, 
barter, possession, or possession with the intent to 
sell, transfer, trade, or barter of marine mammal 
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ivory or marine mammal bone or baleen incorporated 
under this title by an Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo, into 
an authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts 
and clothing.’’. 
Æ 
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