Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-327
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-01-13
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships

Canada

Endangered and threatened species

Hunting and fishing

Licensing and registrations

Mammals

Trade restrictions
Latest action: action_date: 2015-03-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-01-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to direct 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. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 327 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 13, 2015 Mr. Young of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act of 2015 . 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 of 2015 . .