Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act
Bill: H.R.630 | Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don (R-AK)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to issue a permit for the importation of a polar bear part (other than an internal organ) from a bear taken in a sport hunt in Canada to any permit applicant who has submitted proof that the polar bear was (1) legally harvested by the applicant before the May 15, 2008, listing of the polar bear as threatened, and (2) harvested from an approved polar bear population. Interior must issue these permits without regard to limits on importing marine mammals with depleted populations.

To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow importation 
 of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada before the date 
  the polar bear was determined to be a threatened species under the 
        Endangered Species Act of 1973, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PERMITS FOR IMPORTATION OF POLAR BEAR TROPHIES TAKEN IN SPORT 
              HUNTS IN CANADA.

    Section 104(c)(5)(D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 
(16 U.S.C. 1374(c)(5)(D)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(D)(i) The Secretary of the Interior shall, expeditiously 
        after the expiration of the applicable 30-day period under 
        subsection (d)(2), issue a permit for the importation of any 
        polar bear part (other than an internal organ) from a polar 
        bear taken in a sport hunt in Canada to any person--
                    ``(I) who submits, with the permit application, 
                proof that the polar bear was legally harvested by the 
                person before February 18, 1997; or
                    ``(II) who has submitted, in support of a permit 
                application submitted before May 15, 2008, proof that 
                the polar bear was legally harvested by the person 
                before May 15, 2008, from a polar bear population from 
                which a sport-hunted trophy could be imported before 
                that date in accordance with section 18.30(i) of title 
                50, Code of Federal Regulations.
            ``(ii) The Secretary shall issue permits under clause 
        (i)(I) without regard to subparagraphs (A) and (C)(ii) of this 
        paragraph, subsection (d)(3), and sections 101 and 102. 
        Sections 101(a)(3)(B) and 102(b)(3) shall not apply to the 
        importation of any polar bear part authorized by a permit 
        issued under clause (i)(I). This clause shall not apply to 
        polar bear parts that were imported before June 12, 1997.
            ``(iii) The Secretary shall issue permits under clause 
        (i)(II) without regard to subparagraph (C)(ii) of this 
        paragraph or subsection (d)(3). Sections 101(a)(3)(B) and 
        102(b)(3) shall not apply to the importation of any polar bear 
        part authorized by a permit issued under clause (i)(II). This 
        clause shall not apply to polar bear parts that were imported 
        before the date of enactment of the Polar Bear Conservation and 
        Fairness Act.''.
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