[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2504 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 2504


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 6, 2018

 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To ensure fair treatment in licensing requirements for the export of 
                          certain echinoderms.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. EXEMPTION OF EXPORTATION OF CERTAIN ECHINODERMS FROM 
              PERMISSION AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Exemption.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service shall amend section 14.92 of title 50, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to clarify that--
            (1) fish or wildlife described in subsection (b) are 
        fishery products exempt from the export permission requirements 
        of section 9(d)(1) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
        U.S.C. 1538(d)(1)); and
            (2) any person may engage in business as an exporter of 
        such fish or wildlife without procuring permission under such 
        section of that Act or an export license under subpart I of 
        part 14 of such title.
    (b) Covered Fish or Wildlife.--The fish or wildlife referred to in 
subsection (a) are members of the phylum Echinodermata that are 
commonly known as sea urchins and sea cucumbers, including products 
thereof, that--
            (1) do not require a permit under part 16, 17, or 23 of 
        title 50, Code of Federal Regulations;
            (2) are harvested in waters under the jurisdiction of the 
        United States or are processed in the United States; and
            (3) are--
                    (A) exported for purposes of human or animal 
                consumption; or
                    (B) taken in waters under the jurisdiction of the 
                United States or on the high seas for recreational 
                purposes.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 5, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.