I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3710 
To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 1, 2009 
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Ms. LEE 
of California, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. 
ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. FARR, 
Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. FRANK of Massa-
chusetts, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. 
STARK, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CONYERS, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. 
HARE, Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts, Mr. HOLT, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. 
CROWLEY, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. PASCRELL, 
Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. BALDWIN, 
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. WU) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National 
Wildlife Refuge System. 
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 ‘‘Refuge from Cruel 
Trapping Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP PRO-
HIBITED. 
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration 
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 6. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP 
PROHIBITED. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—No person may possess or use 
a body-gripping trap in the System. 
‘‘(b) ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS.—Notwithstanding 
section 4(f), a person who possesses or uses a body-grip-
ping trap in the System shall be subject to the following: 
‘‘(1) In the case of a first offense, a civil fine 
of not more than $500 imposed by the Secretary for 
each body-gripping trap possessed or used. 
‘‘(2) In the case of a subsequent offense— 
‘‘(A) a civil fine of not more than $1000 
imposed by the Secretary for each body-grip-
ping trap possessed or used; 
‘‘(B) imprisonment for not more than 180 
days; or 
‘‘(C) both a civil fine and imprisonment in 
accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B). 
‘‘(c) FORFEITURE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP.—Any 
body-gripping trap that is possessed or used in violation 
of this section, and any wildlife captured by the use of 
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such trap, including the pelt or raw fur, shall be subject 
to forfeiture to the United States in accordance with the 
provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, United States Code, 
relating to civil forfeitures. 
‘‘(d) PAYMENT OF COURT COSTS AND OTHER ASSO-
CIATED EXPENSES.—A person found to be in violation of 
subsection (a) shall pay all court costs associated there-
with. 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 120 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term 
‘body-gripping trap’— 
‘‘(1) means any device that is intended to kill 
or capture wildlife by physically restraining any part 
of the animal; 
‘‘(2) includes any steel-jaw, padded, or other 
modified leghold trap, kill-type trap, snare trap, or 
any modified version of any such trap; and 
‘‘(3) does not include any cage or box trap or 
suitcase-type live beaver trap.’’. 
Æ 
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