I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6885 
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit import and 
export of any species listed or proposed to be listed under such Act 
as a threatened species or endangered species, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 
Mr. GRIJALVA (for himself, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. 
BRENDAN
F. BOYLE
of Pennsylvania, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mrs. 
NAPOLITANO, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. 
TSONGAS, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Ms. CLARK of Massachu-
setts, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. GUTIE´RREZ, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Ms. 
BROWNLEY of California, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. POCAN, Mr. 
BEYER, and Mr. HECK) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Commit-
tees on Foreign Affairs, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit 
import and export of any species listed or proposed to 
be listed under such Act as a threatened species or 
endangered species, 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 ‘‘Conserving Ecosystems 
by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies 
Act’’ or the ‘‘CECIL Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO PROHIBITED ACTS. 
Section 9(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1538(a)(1)) is amended by striking sub-
paragraph (A) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) import into or export from the United 
States any species listed or proposed to be listed 
under section 4(c) as a threatened species or endan-
gered species;’’. 
SEC. 3. IMPORTS OF SPORT-HUNTED TROPHIES. 
Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1539(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(3) Before issuing any permit under this Act au-
thorizing import from any country of a sport-hunted tro-
phy of a threatened species or endangered species, the Sec-
retary must make a finding after public notice and com-
ment pursuant to section 553 of title 5, United States 
Code, of whether hunting of the species in such country 
enhances the propagation or survival of the species. 
‘‘(4) Notwithstanding sections 9(b) and 9(c)(2), no 
permit may be issued by the Secretary for the import of 
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a sport-hunted trophy of an elephant or lion taken in Tan-
zania, Zimbabwe, or Zambia.’’. 
SEC. 4. PERMIT FEES FOR SPORT-HUNTED TROPHY IM-
PORTS. 
Section 10(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(2)) is amended by redesignating 
subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D), and by inserting 
after subparagraph (B) the following: 
‘‘(C) No permit may be issued by the Secretary under 
this Act for import of a sport-hunted trophy unless the 
applicant pays to the Secretary all administrative costs in-
curred by the United States that are associated with proc-
essing the permit application.’’. 
SEC. 5. TRANSPARENCY OF SPORTS-HUNTED TROPHY IM-
PORT PERMITS. 
Section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1539(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘which is 
made under this section’’ and inserting in its place ‘‘under 
this Act for an endangered species or threatened species’’. 
SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE CON-
SERVATION COUNCIL. 
The International Wildlife Conservation Council of 
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is hereby abol-
ished. 
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