Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 5127 To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOVEMBER 15, 2019 Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. LAN- GEVIN, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. KILMER, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. PETERS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. POCAN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. NADLER, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. DEAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. SIRES, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. SHALALA, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. KEATING, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. CORREA, Mr. RASKIN, and Ms. SPEIER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Natural Resources A BILL To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5127.IH H5127 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 5127 IH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Refuge From Cruel 2 Trapping Act of 2019’’. 3 SEC. 2. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP PRO- 4 HIBITED. 5 The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration 6 Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) is amended by add- 7 ing at the end the following: 8 ‘‘SEC. 6. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP 9 PROHIBITED. 10 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—No person may possess or use 11 a body-gripping trap in the System. 12 ‘‘(b) ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS.—Notwithstanding 13 section 4(f), a person who possesses or uses a body-grip- 14 ping trap in the System shall be subject to the following: 15 ‘‘(1) In the case of a first offense, a civil fine 16 of not more than $500 imposed by the Secretary for 17 each body-gripping trap possessed or used. 18 ‘‘(2) In the case of a subsequent offense— 19 ‘‘(A) a civil fine of not more than $1,000 20 imposed by the Secretary for each body-grip- 21 ping trap possessed or used; 22 ‘‘(B) imprisonment for not more than 180 23 days; or 24 ‘‘(C) both a civil fine and imprisonment in 25 accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B). 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5127.IH H5127 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 5127 IH ‘‘(c) FORFEITURE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP.—Any 1 body-gripping trap that is possessed or used in violation 2 of this section, and any wildlife captured by the use of 3 such trap, including the pelt or raw fur of such wildlife, 4 shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States in ac- 5 cordance with the provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, 6 United States Code, relating to civil forfeitures. 7 ‘‘(d) PAYMENT OF COURT COSTS AND OTHER ASSO- 8 CIATED EXPENSES.—A person found to be in violation of 9 subsection (a) shall pay all associated court costs. 10 ‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 120 days after 11 the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 12 shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this sec- 13 tion. 14 ‘‘(f) BODY-GRIPPING TRAP DEFINED.—In this sec- 15 tion, the term ‘body-gripping trap’— 16 ‘‘(1) except as provided in paragraph (3), 17 means any device that is intended to kill or capture 18 wildlife by physically restraining any part of the ani- 19 mal; 20 ‘‘(2) includes any— 21 ‘‘(A) steel-jaw, padded, or other modified 22 leghold trap; 23 ‘‘(B) kill-type trap; 24 ‘‘(C) snare trap; or 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5127.IH H5127 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 5127 IH ‘‘(D) modified version of any such trap; 1 and 2 ‘‘(3) does not include any— 3 ‘‘(A) cage or box trap; or 4 ‘‘(B) suitcase-type live beaver trap.’’. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5127.IH H5127 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS