To exempt exportation of certain echinoderms and mollusks from licensing requirements under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Bill: 114-hr-4245
Sponsor: Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
Introduced: 2015-12-11 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of the Interior
Endangered and threatened species
Hunting and fishing
Licensing and registrations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Seafood
Trade restrictions
User charges and fees
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: 
This bill exempts importers and exporters of sea urchins and sea cucumbers that are designated as food for humans or animals or taken for recreational purposes from licensing requirements. Thus, those importers and exporters will be exempted from: (1) inspections to ensure shipments of those sea urchins and sea cucumbers do not contain endangered or threatened species, and (2) related inspection fees.

action_date: 2016-09-06
text: 
(Sec. 1) This bill: (1) exempts exporters of sea urchins, sea cucumbers, squid, octopus, and cuttlefish that are designated as food for humans or animals or taken for recreational purposes from licensing requirements; and (2) requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to amend regulations concerning transporting wildlife to clarify that those sea urchins, sea cucumbers, squid, octopus, and cuttlefish are fishery products exempt from the export permission requirements under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Thus, those exporters will be exempted from: (1) inspections to ensure shipments of those fishery products do not contain endangered or threatened species, and (2) related inspection fees.

action_date: 2016-12-10
text: 
(Sec. 1) This bill requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to issue a proposed rule that establishes expedited procedures relating to the export permission requirements of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 for sea urchins and sea cucumbers that are designated as food for humans or animals. The USFWS may include in the rule an exemption from export permission requirements or export licensing requirements for those species.
 
If an exemption will have a significant negative impact on the conservation of sea urchins or sea cucumbers, the USFWS may not provide the exemption to the requirements. In addition, the USFWS may not provide an exemption to an entity that has been convicted of a violation of a law relating to the importation, transportation, or exportation of wildlife in the five years preceding the date on which the entity applied for the exemption.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-12-12
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2016-12-10
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2016-12-10
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2016-12-10
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7149)
action_date: 2016-09-07
text: Received in the Senate, read twice.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5067)
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5067)
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4245.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5067-5068)
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Mr. Thompson (PA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 551.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 114-712, Part I.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 114-712, Part I.
action_date: 2016-06-15
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2016-06-15
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-06-14
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-06-14
text: Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.
action_date: 2016-02-02
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-12-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-12-11
text: Introduced in House