IIB 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2494 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
NOVEMBER 3, 2015 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
AN ACT 
To support global anti-poaching efforts, strengthen the ca-
pacity of partner countries to counter wildlife trafficking, 
designate major wildlife trafficking countries, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Global Anti-Poaching 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Poaching and the illicit trade in endangered 
and threatened wildlife are among the most lucrative 
criminal activities worldwide, worth an estimated $7 
to $10 billion annually. 
(2) Poaching and wildlife trafficking have esca-
lated in scale, sophistication and violence, risking the 
potential extinction of some of the world’s most 
iconic species. 
(3) Wildlife poaching and trafficking threaten 
elephants, rhinoceros, and tigers greatly, but also 
have devastating impact on a number of other spe-
cies, including sharks, great apes, and turtles. 
(4) The high demand for rare wildlife products 
has driven prices to historically high levels. 
(5) Much of the demand for wildlife products 
comes from Asia and is fueled by the perceived me-
dicinal value and social status associated with these 
products. 
(6) Reporting indicates that a number of rebel 
groups and terrorist organizations, including Su-
dan’s Janjaweed militia, the Lord’s Resistance 
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Army, the Seleka rebel movement in the Central Af-
rican Republic, and Somalia’s al-Shabaab, either 
participate in or draw funding from illicit wildlife 
trafficking networks. 
(7) Analyses suggest the high demand for ille-
gal wildlife products, combined with weak law en-
forcement and security measures and corruption and 
governance failures, has led to the increased involve-
ment of transnational organized crime in wildlife 
trafficking. 
(8) The United Nations Security Council has 
authorized multilateral sanctions against individuals 
and entities supporting armed groups through the il-
licit trade in wildlife, in addition to other natural re-
sources, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and 
the Central African Republic. 
(9) A National Intelligence Council analysis of 
wildlife poaching threats found that certain African 
government officials facilitated the movement of 
wildlife products, and that these governments’ ability 
to reduce poaching and trafficking was hindered by 
corruption and weak rule of law. 
(10) On November 13, 2013, the Secretary of 
State announced the first reward under the 
Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program 
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for information leading to the dismantling of the 
Xaysavang Network, a large wildlife trafficking syn-
dicate that is based in Laos and spans Africa and 
Asia. 
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT NET-
WORKS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Wildlife enforcement networks are govern-
ment-led, regionally-focused mechanisms that in-
crease capacity and coordination efforts between law 
enforcement, environmental agencies, and other enti-
ties focused on countering wildlife trafficking of 
member countries. 
(2) Currently there are active wildlife enforce-
ment networks in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and 
Central America. The more mature wildlife enforce-
ment networks, such as the Southeast Asia wildlife 
enforcement network, have proven effective in dis-
mantling transnational wildlife trafficking networks 
and bringing to justice those individuals involved in 
the illegal trade of endangered and threatened spe-
cies. 
(3) Efforts are underway to establish additional 
wildlife enforcement networks in Central Africa, the 
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Horn of Africa, South America, and Central and 
West Asia, among other regions. 
(b) STATEMENT
OF
POLICY.—The Secretary of 
State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development, the Director of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, and heads of other ap-
propriate agencies should, in an effort to address regional 
threats to biodiversity and conservation, support strength-
ening existing wildlife enforcement networks and the es-
tablishment of new networks in other appropriate regions. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that in the process of strengthening and expanding 
wildlife enforcement networks, the appropriate agencies 
should— 
(1) assess the existing capacity of wildlife en-
forcement network member countries to gather base-
line data that may be used for developing program 
activities for the wildlife enforcement network; 
(2) establish a central secretariat within each 
wildlife enforcement network that will coordinate the 
operational mechanisms of each such network; 
(3) establish a focal mechanism in each member 
country of a wildlife enforcement network, that in-
cludes representatives from environmental and wild-
life protection agencies, law enforcement agencies, fi-
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nancial intelligence units, customs and border pro-
tection agencies, and the judiciary system, that will 
serve as a conduit to the larger wildlife enforcement 
network and the central secretariat; 
(4) strengthen cooperation and the capacity of 
law enforcement agencies of the wildlife enforcement 
network; 
(5) facilitate the sharing of intelligence and rel-
evant case information within the agencies of a wild-
life enforcement network; 
(6) support the cooperation and coordination 
between different regional wildlife enforcement net-
works; 
(7) incorporate and utilize expertise from inter-
national bodies and civil society organizations that 
have appropriate subject matter expertise; 
(8) eventually create an institutionalized, sus-
tainable, and self-sufficient platform; and 
(9) recognize that lawful, well regulated hunting 
can contribute to sustainability and economic devel-
opment, and that enforcement policies should not 
discourage or impede this activity. 
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SEC. 4. SUPPORTING THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE 
WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTOR. 
The Secretary of State, the Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development, the 
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
and heads of other appropriate agencies, including the Na-
tional Park Service and the United States Forest Service, 
should, in an effort to address local and regional threats 
to biodiversity and conservation and support the rule of 
law and good governance, promote the professionalization 
of the wildlife law enforcement sector and professional 
ranger training in partner countries through support and 
technical assistance for the following: 
(1) The creation and adoption of standards for 
professional ranger training and qualifications, in-
cluding in relevant international fora and multilat-
eral agreements. 
(2) Training and accreditation systems based 
on the standards described in paragraph (1) that 
produce professionally trained and qualified rangers 
and promote the overall professionalization of ranger 
forces, whether through existing United States insti-
tutions, such as International Law Enforcement 
Academies, or through partnerships with national or 
regional training institutions. 
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(3) Legal reforms, where necessary, to provide 
rangers with authority to detain and arrest suspects, 
process crime scenes, present evidence in court, and 
defend themselves in life threatening situations. 
(4) The development and institutionalization of 
reward and promotion systems for rangers based on 
performance and set competencies. 
(5) The development and institutionalization of 
national systems to provide insurance to rangers and 
their families and compensation for those rangers 
killed in the line of duty. 
(6) Cooperation and coordination between local 
law enforcement tasked with wildlife or park protec-
tion and local defense forces, where appropriate, in-
cluding training opportunities, logistical support, or 
provision of equipment. 
SEC. 5. DESIGNATION OF MAJOR WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING 
COUNTRIES AND AUTHORITY TO WITHHOLD 
CERTAIN ASSISTANCE. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than September 15 of each 
year, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce, 
shall submit to Congress a report that lists each foreign 
country determined to be a major source of wildlife traf-
ficking products or their derivatives, a major transit point 
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of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, or a 
major consumer of wildlife trafficking products or their 
derivatives. 
(b) SPECIAL DESIGNATION.—In each report required 
under subsection (a), the Secretary of State, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Interior and the Secretary of 
Commerce, shall— 
(1) designate each country listed in the report 
that has failed demonstrably, during the previous 
12-month period, to make substantial efforts to ad-
here to its obligations under international agree-
ments relating to endangered or threatened species; 
and 
(2) include a short justification for each deter-
mination made under paragraph (1). 
(c) WITHHOLDING OF ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
of State may withhold assistance described in subsection 
(d) with respect to each foreign country that is specially 
designated under subsection (b). 
(d) ASSISTANCE DESCRIBED.—The assistance de-
scribed in this subsection are sections 516, 524, and 541 
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j, 
2344, or 2347), chapter 6 of part II of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2348 et seq.), and section 
23 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763). 
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(e) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary of State shall no-
tify— 
(1) the government of each foreign country that 
is listed in the report required under subsection (a) 
that the country has been so listed; and 
(2) the government of each foreign country that 
is specially designated under subsection (b) and is 
subject to the withholding of assistance described in 
subsection (c). 
(f) REPORTING COST OFFSET.—Section 8 of Public 
Law 107–245 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note) is repealed. 
(g) SUNSET.—This section shall terminate on the 
date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING SECURITY AS-
SISTANCE TO COUNTER WILDLIFE TRAF-
FICKING AND POACHING IN AFRICA. 
It is the sense of Congress that the United States 
should continue to provide defense articles (not including 
significant military equipment), defense services, and re-
lated training to appropriate security forces of countries 
of Africa for the purposes of countering wildlife trafficking 
and poaching. 
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SEC. 8. WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING VIOLATIONS AS PREDI-
CATE OFFENSES UNDER RACKETEERING AND 
MONEY LAUNDERING STATUTES. 
(a) TRAVEL ACT.—Section 1952 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or (3)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(3)’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘of this title and (ii)’’ and 
inserting the following: ‘‘of this title, or (4) any 
act that is a criminal violation of section 
9(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1538(a)(1)), section 2203 of the Af-
rican Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
4223), or section 7(a) of the Rhinoceros and 
Tiger Conservation Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 
5305a(a)), if the endangered or threatened spe-
cies, products, items, or substances involved in 
the violation and relevant conduct, as applica-
ble, have a total value of more than $10,000 
and (ii)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) USE OF AMOUNTS FROM FINES, FORFEITURES, 
AND
RESTITUTION
RELATING
TO
WILDLIFE
TRAF-
FICKING VIOLATIONS.—Any amounts received by the 
United States as fines, forfeitures of property or assets, 
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or restitution to the Government for any violation under 
this section that involves an unlawful activity described in 
subsection (b)(i)(4) shall be transferred by the Secretary 
of the Treasury, to the extent practicable, to the Multi-
national Species Conservation Fund and used as provided 
in advance in appropriations Acts for the benefit of the 
species impacted by the applicable violation.’’. 
(b) MONEY LAUNDERING.—Section 1956 of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(7)— 
(A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘or’’ 
at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (F), by adding ‘‘or’’ 
at the end; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) any act or acts constituting a crimi-
nal violation of section 9(a)(1) of the Endan-
gered 
Species 
Act 
of 
1973 
(16 
U.S.C. 
1538(a)(1)), section 2203 of the African Ele-
phant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4223), or 
section 7(a) of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Con-
servation Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 5305a(a)), if 
the endangered or threatened species, products, 
items, or substances involved in the violation 
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and relevant conduct, as applicable, have a total 
value of more than $10,000;’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) USE
OF AMOUNTS FROM CIVIL PENALTIES, 
FINES, FORFEITURES, AND RESTITUTION RELATING TO 
WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING VIOLATIONS.—Any amounts re-
ceived by the United States as fines, forfeitures of prop-
erty or assets, or restitution to the Government for any 
violation under this section that involves an unlawful activ-
ity described in subsection (c)(7)(G) shall be transferred 
by the Secretary of the Treasury, to the extent practicable, 
to the Multinational Species Conservation Fund and used 
as provided in advance in appropriations Acts for the ben-
efit of the species impacted by the applicable violation.’’. 
(c) RICO.—Chapter 96 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) in section 1961(1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or (G)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(G)’’; and 
(B) by inserting before the semicolon at 
the end the following: ‘‘, or (H) any act consti-
tuting a criminal violation of section 9(a)(1) of 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1538(a)(1)), section 2203 of the African Ele-
phant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4223), or 
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section 7(a) of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Con-
servation Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 5305a(a)), if 
the endangered or threatened species, products, 
items, or substances involved in the violation 
and relevant conduct, as applicable, have a total 
value of more than $10,000’’; and 
(2) in section 1963, by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(n) USE OF AMOUNTS FROM FINES, FORFEITURES, 
AND
RESTITUTION
RELATING
TO
WILDLIFE
TRAF-
FICKING VIOLATIONS.—Any amounts received by the 
United States as fines, forfeitures of property or assets, 
or restitution to the Government for any violation under 
section 1962 that is based on racketeering activity de-
scribed in section 1961(1)(H) shall be transferred by the 
Secretary of the Treasury, to the extent practicable, to the 
Multinational Species Conservation Fund and used as pro-
vided in advance in appropriations Acts for the benefit of 
the species impacted by the applicable violation.’’. 
(d) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) USE OF AMOUNTS FROM FINES.—Section 
1402(b)(1)(A) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 
(42 U.S.C. 10601(b)(1)(A)) is amended— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
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(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) sections 1952(f), 1956(j), and 
1963(n) of title 18, United States Code; 
and’’. 
(2) USE OF AMOUNTS FROM FORFEITURES.— 
Section 524(c)(4)(A) of title 28, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting before ‘‘or the Postmaster 
General’’ the following: ‘‘or section 1952(f), 1956(j), 
or 1963(n) of title 18,’’. 
SEC. 9. OTHER ACTIONS RELATING TO WILDLIFE TRAF-
FICKING PROGRAMS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State 
should dedicate sufficient program resources to— 
(1) conduct monitoring and evaluation, with a 
special emphasis where feasible on impact evalua-
tions, of wildlife trafficking programs consistent with 
the Department of State’s January 2015 Evaluation 
Policy; 
(2) publish program information on wildlife 
trafficking programs on the Department of State’s 
Internet website, ‘‘ForeignAssistance.gov’’ in a dig-
ital format consistent with the United States com-
mitment to the International Aid Transparency Ini-
tiative (IATI); and 
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(3) develop and implement a learning agenda to 
improve the performance and impact of wildlife traf-
ficking programs and to share best practices among 
relevant executive branch agencies. 
Passed the House of Representatives November 2, 
2015. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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