I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4341 
To assist in the conservation of critically endangered species in foreign 
countries, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 
Mr. HUFFMAN
(for himself, Mr. BUCHANAN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 
FITZPATRICK, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. KING of New York, Ms. WILD, Mr. 
BLUMENAUER, Mr. BEYER, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. 
COHEN, and Mr. HASTINGS) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred 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 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CONVENTION.—The term ‘‘Convention’’ 
means the Convention on International Trade in En-
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dangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (27 UST 
1087; TIAS 8249). 
(2) CONSERVATION.—The term ‘‘conservation’’ 
means the protection and restoration of species and 
the habitat of such species. 
(3) FUND.—The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Criti-
cally Endangered Animals Conservation Fund estab-
lished by section 5. 
(4) CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘critically en-
dangered species’’ 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. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘critically en-
dangered species’’ 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) MULTINATIONAL
SPECIES
CONSERVATION 
FUND.—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). 
(6) SECRETARY.—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-
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cial assistance for the conservation of critically endangered 
species. 
(b) PROJECT PROPOSALS.— 
(1) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—A proposal for a 
grant under subsection (a) may be submitted to the 
Secretary by— 
(A) any wildlife management authority of 
a foreign country that has within its boundaries 
natural habitat of the critically endangered spe-
cies if the activities of the authority directly or 
indirectly benefit that species’ conservation; or 
(B) any other person or group with the 
demonstrated expertise and capacity required 
for the conservation of a critically endangered 
species. 
(2) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—A project proposal 
shall include— 
(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; 
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(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 
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 
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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; 
(D) enforcement and implementation of 
the Convention or the law of a foreign country 
to— 
(i) protect and manage a critically en-
dangered species or the habitat of such 
species; 
(ii) prevent illegal or unsustainable re-
moval of a critically endangered species 
from the wild, including as marine bycatch; 
or 
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(iii) prevent illegal trade of a critically 
endangered species; 
(E) training and capacity building for local 
law enforcement officials in the interdiction and 
prevention of the illegal killing, removal from 
the wild, or trade of a critically endangered spe-
cies; 
(F) an initiative to resolve a conflict be-
tween humans and a critically endangered spe-
cies; 
(G) 
research 
and 
implementation 
of 
projects to address disease and threats to the 
health of a critically endangered species; 
(H) community outreach and education on 
conservation of a critically endangered species 
and the habitat of such species; or 
(I) strengthening the ability of local com-
munities to implement a conservation program. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall, prior 
to approving any proposal under this section, consult 
with each of the following with respect to such pro-
posal: 
(A) The Government of each country in 
which such proposal will be carried out. 
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(B) Any other Federal agency the Sec-
retary determines is appropriate. 
(4) PREFERENTIAL CONSIDERATION.—In deter-
mining whether to approve a proposal, the Secretary 
shall give preference to a proposal that— 
(A) is designed to ensure effective, long- 
term conservation of critically endangered spe-
cies and their habitats; and 
(B) has matching funds available. 
(5) APPROVAL.—The Secretary shall, within 
180 days of receiving a proposal under this section, 
approve or disapprove of the proposal and provide 
written notification of such approval or disapproval 
to— 
(A) the person who submitted such pro-
posal; 
(B) any Federal agency the Secretary de-
termines appropriate; and 
(C) the foreign country in which such pro-
posal would be carried out. 
(d) PROJECT REPORTING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall require 
each person that receives assistance under this sec-
tion to submit periodic reports including such infor-
mation as the Secretary may require in order to 
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evaluate the progress and success of each grant 
issued under this section. 
(2) AVAILABILITY
TO
THE
PUBLIC.—Reports 
under paragraph (1), and any other documents re-
lating to projects for which financial assistance is 
provided under this Act except for documents that 
the Secretary determines to be confidential in na-
ture, shall be made available to the public. 
(e) LIMITATIONS
ON USE
FOR CAPTIVE BREED-
ING.—Amounts provided as a grant under this Act— 
(1) may not be used for captive breeding of 
critically endangered species other than for captive 
breeding designed for release into the wild; and 
(2) may be used for captive breeding of a spe-
cies for release into the wild only if no other con-
servation method for the species is biologically or 
technically feasible. 
SEC. 4. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ANIMALS CONSERVA-
TION FUND. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Multinational Species Conservation Fund a separate ac-
count to be known as the ‘‘Critically Endangered Animals 
Conservation Fund’’, consisting of— 
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(1) amounts transferred to the Secretary of the 
Treasury for deposit into the Fund under subsection 
(e); 
(2) amounts appropriated to the Fund under 
section 6; and 
(3) any interest earned on investment of 
amounts in the Fund under subsection (c). 
(b) EXPENDITURES FROM FUND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), at 
the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the 
Treasury shall transfer from the Fund to the Sec-
retary, without further appropriation, such amounts 
as the Secretary determines are necessary to carry 
out section 4. 
(2) 
ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES.—Of 
the 
amounts in the account available for each fiscal 
year, the Secretary may expend not more than 3 
percent, or up to $150,000, whichever is greater, to 
pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry 
out this Act. 
(c) INVESTMENT OF AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treas-
ury shall invest such portion of the Fund as is not, 
in the judgment of the Secretary of the Treasury, 
required to meet current withdrawals. Investments 
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may be made only in interest-bearing obligations of 
the United States. 
(2) ACQUISITION
OF
OBLIGATIONS.—For the 
purpose of investments under paragraph (1), obliga-
tions may be acquired— 
(A) on original issue at the issue price; or 
(B) by purchase of outstanding obligations 
at market price. 
(3) SALE OF OBLIGATIONS.—Any obligation ac-
quired by the Fund may be sold by the Secretary of 
the Treasury at market price. 
(4) CREDITS TO FUND.—The interest on, and 
the proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any ob-
ligations held in the Fund shall be credited to and 
form a part of the Fund. 
(d) TRANSFERS OF AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amounts required to be 
transferred to the Fund under this section shall be 
transferred at least monthly from the general fund 
of the Treasury to the Fund on the basis of esti-
mates made by the Secretary of the Treasury. 
(2) ADJUSTMENTS.—Proper adjustment shall 
be made in amounts subsequently transferred to the 
extent prior estimates were in excess of or less than 
the amounts required to be transferred. 
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(e) ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF DONATIONS.—The 
Secretary may accept and use donations to provide assist-
ance under section 4. Amounts received by the Secretary 
in the form of donations shall be transferred to the Sec-
retary of the Treasury for deposit in the Fund. The Sec-
retary may reject a gift under this section when the rejec-
tion is in the interest of the Government. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Fund 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2025. 
SEC. 6. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on the results and effec-
tiveness of the program carried out under this Act. 
Æ 
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