Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-561
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2015-02-25
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: 2015-02-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-02-25
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
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: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 561 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 25, 2015 Mr. Crapo (for himself and Mr. Risch ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the importation of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada before the date on which 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) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1374(c)(5) ) is amended by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the following: (D) Polar bear parts (i) In general Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (C)(ii), subsection (d)(3), and sections 101 and 102, the Secretary of the Interior shall, expeditiously after the date on which the expiration of the applicable 30-day period described in subsection (d)(2) expires, 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 submitted, with a permit application submitted before May 15, 2008, proof that the polar bear was legally harvested from a polar bear population from which a sport-hunted trophy could be imported before that May 15, 2008, in accordance with section 18.30(i) of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation) by the person before May 15, 2008. (ii) Applicability of prohibition on the importation of a depleted species (I) Parts legally harvested before February 18, 1997 (aa) In general 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). (bb) Applicability Item (aa) shall not apply to polar bear parts imported before June 12, 1997. (II) Parts legally harvested before May 15, 2008 (aa) In general 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). (bb) Applicability Item (aa) shall not apply to polar bear parts imported before the date of enactment of the Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act of 2015 . .