I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1569 
To assist in the conservation of critically endangered species in foreign 
countries, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 3, 2021 
Mr. HUFFMAN (for himself, Mr. BUCHANAN, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. BLU-
MENAUER, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. JONES, Mr. LANGEVIN, 
Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. NORTON, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 
SIRES, Mr. VAN DREW, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. BEYER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 
CASE, Mr. SCHIFF, and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To assist in the conservation of critically endangered species 
in foreign 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, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Critically Endangered 
Animals Conservation Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
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(1) the term ‘‘Convention’’ means the Conven-
tion on International Trade in Endangered Species 
of Wild Fauna and Flora (27 UST 1087; TIAS 
8249); 
(2) the term ‘‘conservation’’ means the protec-
tion and restoration of species and the habitat of 
such species; 
(3) the term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Critically En-
dangered Animals Conservation Fund established by 
section 5; 
(4) the term ‘‘critically endangered species’’— 
(A) means— 
(i) any animal species categorized on 
the International Union Conservation of 
Nature Red List of Threatened Species as 
either Endangered or Critically Endan-
gered; and 
(ii) any other animals species cat-
egorized on the International Union Con-
servation of Nature Red List of Threat-
ened Species as Data Deficient or under a 
threat category lower than Endangered if 
the Secretary determines that— 
(I) the most recent International 
Union Conservation of Nature Red 
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List assessment indicates that the 
population is decreasing; or 
(II) such species is facing new or 
emerging threats; and 
(B) includes— 
(i) any part, product, egg, offspring or 
live specimen of a species described in sub-
paragraph (A); and 
(ii) a carcass of such a species; 
(5) the term ‘‘Multinational Species Conserva-
tion Fund’’ means the fund established under the 
heading ‘‘multinational species conservation fund’’ in 
title I of the Department of the Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (16 U.S.C. 
4246); and 
(6) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ANIMALS CONSERVA-
TION ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In consultation with other Fed-
eral officials, the Secretary shall use amounts in the Fund 
to carry out a competitive grant program to provide finan-
cial assistance for the conservation of critically endangered 
species. 
(b) PROJECT PROPOSALS.— 
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(1) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A proposal for a grant 
under subsection (a) may be submitted to the 
Secretary by— 
(i) any wildlife management authority 
of a foreign country that has within its 
boundaries natural habitat of the critically 
endangered species if the activities of the 
authority directly or indirectly benefit that 
species’ conservation; or 
(ii) any other person or group with 
the demonstrated expertise and capacity 
required for the conservation of a critically 
endangered species. 
(B) INELIGIBLE
APPLICANTS.—Any such 
wildlife management authority or other person 
or group that receives funding for a particular 
critically endangered species from any multi-
national species conservation fund to which the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a 
party is not eligible for a grant under this Act 
with respect to a such species. 
(2) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—A project proposal 
shall include— 
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(A) evidence of support for the project by 
appropriate governmental entities of the coun-
try in which the project will be conducted, if the 
Secretary determines that such support is re-
quired for the success of the project; 
(B) evidence of sensitivity to local historic 
and cultural resources and compliance with ap-
plicable laws; 
(C) evidence of free, prior, and informed 
consent by indigenous peoples and local commu-
nities in the areas the project will be conducted, 
if the Secretary, based on the nature of the 
project, determines that such consent is re-
quired for the success of the project; 
(D) information regarding the source and 
amount of matching funding available for the 
project; and 
(E) any other information that the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate. 
(c) EVALUATION AND APPROVAL.— 
(1) GOALS.—The Secretary may approve a pro-
posal under this section if the project will— 
(A) help recover and sustain viable popu-
lations in the wild of a critically endangered 
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species with a range that is, in whole or in part, 
outside of the United States; 
(B) enhance compliance with provisions of 
the Convention and laws of the United States 
or a foreign country related to the conservation 
of a critically endangered species; or 
(C) develop sound scientific information on 
that species’ habitat, population numbers and 
trends, reproduction, mortality, and other 
threats to survival. 
(2) METHODS.—The Secretary may approve a 
proposal under this section if the proposal would 
achieve one of the goals set forth in paragraph (1) 
through— 
(A) protection, restoration, and manage-
ment of habitat; 
(B) in situ research and monitoring of 
populations, habitats, annual reproduction, and 
species population trends; 
(C) development, implementation, and im-
provement of national and regional manage-
ment plans for a critically endangered species 
and the habitat of such species; 
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