Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-529
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2009-03-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Endangered and threatened species
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Foreign aid and international relief
Government trust funds
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Mammals
Public-private cooperation
Trade restrictions
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-03-05
text: 
Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009 - Establishes the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund (Fund) as a separate account of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to use amounts in the Fund to provide assistance for projects for the conservation of rare felids and rare canids. 
 
Restricts the use of grants for captive breeding or display purposes. Prohibits amounts provided as a grant under this Act from being expended on any project in a country the government of which has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to establish an advisory group to assist in carrying out this Act, consisting of individuals representing public and private organizations actively involved in felid and canid conservation.
 
Requires the Secretary to initiate a study of felid and canid species listed under the IUCN Red List (the Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World Conservation Union) that are not rare canids and rare felids to determine: (1) the conservation status of each such species in the wild, including identification of those that are critically endangered or endangered; and (2) whether any such species should be made eligible for project assistance.

action_date: 2009-07-20
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009 - (Sec. 4) Establishes the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund as a separate account of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. 
 
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to use Fund amounts to provide assistance for projects for the conservation of rare felids and rare canids. Sets forth provisions governing project proposals, review, and approval.
 
Defines &quot;rare canid&quot; to mean any of the canid species dhole, gray wolf, Ethiopian wolf, bush dog, African wild dog, maned wolf, and Darwin's fox, including any subspecies of such a species and excluding any subspecies or population that is native to the area comprised of the United States and Canada or the European Union.
 
Defines &quot;rare felid&quot; to mean any of the felid species lion, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, Iberian lynx, and Borneo bay cat, including any subspecies of such a species and excluding any species, subspecies, or population that is native to the United States and any tiger.
 
 Prohibits: (1) the use of assistance under this Act for captive breeding or display purposes, other than captive breeding for release into the wild where no other conservation method for the species is biologically feasible; or (2) the expenditure of such assistance for any project in a country the government of which has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to establish an advisory group to assist in carrying out this Act, which shall provide for public participation.
 
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary to initiate and report to Congress on a study of felid and canid species listed under the Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World Conservation Union that are not rare canids or rare felids (as defined in this Act), to determine: (1) the conservation status of each such species in the wild, including identification of those that are critically endangered or endangered; and (2) whether any such species should be made eligible for project assistance. 
 
(Sec. 7) Authorizes appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-20
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 117.
action_date: 2009-07-20
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer without amendment. With written report No. 111-52.
action_date: 2009-07-20
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer without amendment. With written report No. 111-52.
action_date: 2009-05-14
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2009-03-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-03-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2829-2830)
action_date: 2009-03-05
text: Introduced in Senate