•HRES 220 IH 
Whereas the Convention both recognizes and provides the 
basis for international cooperation in the control of inter-
national trade to not threaten species’ survival; 
Whereas the international wildlife trade is estimated to be 
worth billions of dollars per year and to involve hundreds 
of millions of plants and animals and derived products 
such as food products, leather and fur, ornamentals, me-
dicinal, and timber; 
Whereas high levels of exploitation of and trade in wild ani-
mals and plants, together with other factors such as 
habitat loss, are capable of bringing some species close to 
extinction; 
Whereas parties to the Convention have an international obli-
gation and responsibility to protect endangered animals 
and plants worldwide; 
Whereas it is widely accepted that adherence to protective 
measures adopted by the parties to the Convention has 
benefitted the conservation of animals and plants; 
Whereas nearly 5,000 species of animals and 29,000 species 
of plants are protected by the Convention against over- 
exploitation through international trade; 
Whereas the species covered by the Convention are listed in 
3 appendices, according to the degree of protection they 
need; 
Whereas the parties of the Convention meet every 2 to 3 
years at the Conference of the Parties to review the sta-
tus of species in danger of extinction and to establish 
trade restrictions with respect to endangered species; 
Whereas the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties 
was held in March 2013; 
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•HRES 220 IH 
Whereas between 2002 and 2012, more than 10,940 African 
elephants were illegally killed for their ivory, an increase 
of 4,374 compared to the analysis submitted to the 15th 
meeting of the Conference of the Parties held in 2010; 
Whereas poaching still continues with 2011 having the high-
est levels of poaching since comprehensive records started 
in 2002; 
Whereas as sea ice declines, polar bears will not be able to 
adapt to a terrestrial-based life resulting in increased 
mortality, reduced reproduction, increased human-bear 
conflicts, and overall drastic decline of populations; 
Whereas polar bears are still being hunted for sport trophies 
despite habitat loss and population declines; 
Whereas a proposal to move the polar bear from appendix II 
to appendix I was rejected at the 16th meeting of the 
Conference of the Parties; 
Whereas the scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead, 
smooth hammerhead, porbeagle, and whitetip sharks have 
been severely depleted with declines as high as 99 percent 
in some areas as a result of the high demand for their 
fins or meat; 
Whereas proposals to include these 5 sharks on appendix II 
were accepted at the 16th meeting of the Conference of 
the Parties; and 
Whereas overfishing, both legal and illegal, increased con-
sumer demand, and inadequate enforcement of infrac-
tions have led to historically low populations of northern 
and Atlantic bluefin tuna: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 220 IH 
(1) recognizes the important contributions that 
the Convention on International Trade in Endan-
gered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has made in 
regulating international trade in endangered species 
and protecting endangered species worldwide; 
(2) recognizes the increasing importance of the 
Convention in addressing effects of trade on species, 
while taking into account multiple and compounding 
threats on species and ecosystems such as over-ex-
ploitation, habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and 
the effects of climate change; 
(3) applauds the Convention’s recent leadership 
in reaffirming strong protections for the African ele-
phant, five sharks, and other endangered species; 
(4) urges renewed, expanded, and accelerated 
commitments to the Convention by all parties to en-
sure and enhance the Convention’s contribution to 
species conservation through appropriate controls of 
international wildlife trade; 
(5) urges the United States delegation to the 
Convention to utilize international cooperation to en-
courage other parties to the Convention to collabo-
rate effectively to curb excessive exploitation of spe-
cies for international trade; and 
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•HRES 220 IH 
(6) urges the Convention to adopt stronger pro-
tections for the polar bear, bluefin tuna, and other 
endangered species at the 17th meeting of the Con-
ference of the Parties in South Africa in 2016. 
Æ 
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