Targeted Use of Sanctions for Killing Elephants and Rhinoceros Act of 2015
Latest action · May 19, 2015 Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedApr 22, 2015
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Targeted Use of Sanctions for Killing Elephants and Rhinoceros Act of 2015
This bill amends the African Elephant Conservation Act to make it a policy to prevent additional African elephant ivory from entering global commerce, and to reduce demand for ivory that is driving elephant poaching by limiting natural resources-related trade with countries whose nationals are engaged in illegal ivory trade.
The Department of Commerce shall issue a certification under the Fishermen's Protective Act of 1967 authorizing the President to prohibit the importation of any products from any country identified by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Standing Committee as a significant source or transit or destination point for illegal ivory trade.
The President, acting through the Department of the Interior, shall enter into consultations with the offending country, within 30 days after receiving a certification, to obtain an agreement under which the country will immediately and significantly reduce, and will commit to terminating, all illegal ivory trade into, out of, or within that country.
If such consultations are not concluded within 90 days or if the country refuses to enter into consultations, the President shall direct the Department of Commerce to prohibit the importation into the United States of wildlife, fish, and plant products from that country until the earlier of:
- the finalizing of the agreement, or
- the Department finds that the country is no longer a significant source or transit or destination point for illegal ivory trade.
Directs the Secretary, within 180 days after the prohibition, to determine whether:
- the prohibition is sufficient to cause the offending country to immediately and significantly reduce, and commit to terminating, illegal ivory trade, and
- that country has retaliated against the United States as a result of that prohibition.
The bill also amends the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act to make the same requirements for U.S. action against the illegal trade in rhinoceros horn.
Cosponsors 21
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jun 16, 2015 to Jul 14, 2016.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CA | John Garamendi | Jun 16, 2015 | |
| D-AZ | Raúl M. Grijalva | Jun 16, 2015 | |
| D-MA | William R. Keating | Jun 16, 2015 | |
| D-CA | Adam B. Schiff | Jun 25, 2015 | |
| D-FL | Alcee L. Hastings | Jun 25, 2015 | |
| D-MD | Chris Van Hollen | Jun 25, 2015 | |
| D-FL | Lois Frankel | Jun 25, 2015 | |
| D-IA | David Loebsack | Aug 4, 2015 | |
| D-FL | Frederica S. Wilson | Oct 1, 2015 | |
| D-CA | Julia Brownley | Oct 1, 2015 | |
| D-WA | Suzan K. DelBene | Oct 23, 2015 | |
| D-AZ | Ann Kirkpatrick | Nov 2, 2015 | |
| D-CT | Joe Courtney | Nov 30, 2015 | |
| D-CA | Ted Lieu | Nov 30, 2015 | |
| D-NY | Kathleen M. Rice | Dec 1, 2015 | |
| D-MD | Donna F. Edwards | Feb 9, 2016 | |
| D-OR | Suzanne Bonamici | Feb 9, 2016 | |
| D-CA | Barbara Lee | Feb 24, 2016 | |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | Feb 24, 2016 | |
| D-NV | Dina Titus | Apr 28, 2016 | |
| D-MO | Wm. Lacy Clay | Jul 14, 2016 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Natural Resources Committee | Referred Apr 22, 2015 |
| Federal Lands Subcommittee | Referred May 19, 2015 | |
| House | Ways and Means Committee | Referred Apr 22, 2015 |
| Trade Subcommittee | Referred May 6, 2015 |
Actions 4
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 19, 2015Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
- May 6, 2015Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
- Apr 22, 2015Introduced in House
- Apr 22, 2015Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 161, no. 59, April 22, 2015, page H2418.
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 114-25 | POACHING AND TERRORISM: A NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGE57 pages | Foreign Affairs Committee | Apr 22, 2015 |
CRS reports 2
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 2
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| IF10330 | Wildlife Poaching in Africa: An Overview Archived | Resource | Dec 23, 2015 |
| IF10305 | Wildlife Poaching and Trafficking in Asia: An Overview Archived | Resource | Oct 15, 2015 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the African Elephant Conservation Act and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act to provide for trade sanctions against countries involved in illegal trade of elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Targeted Use of Sanctions for Killing Elephants and Rhinoceros Act of 2015
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Animals.
- Africa
- Animals
- Congressional oversight
- Endangered and threatened species
- International law and treaties
- International organizations and cooperation
- Mammals
- Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
- Sanctions
- Smuggling and trafficking
- Trade agreements and negotiations
- Trade restrictions
- Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Apr 22, 2015Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
