[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1578-E1579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        GLOBAL ANTI-POACHING ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2015

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a longstanding member of the 
Congressional Animal Rights Caucus and champion of wildlife 
preservation and protection of animals, I rise in support of H.R. 2494, 
the Global Anti-Poaching Act by Chairman of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee, Congressman Royce of California.
  Earlier this year, in light of the brutal killing of Cecil the Lion, 
I introduced and sought the support of my colleagues as original co-
sponsors of my legislation entitled, Cecil the Lion Endangered and 
Threatened Species Act of 2015.
  H.R. 2494 embodies the purpose of my legislation by strengthening 
partner countries' capacity in countering wildlife trafficking and 
designating major wildlife countries for protection.
  Mr. Speaker, my legislation on Cecil the Lion amends the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the taking and transportation of any 
endangered or threatened species as a trophy into the United States.
  This current legislation crystallizes our bipartisan collective 
efforts to address and tackle a yearly $7 to $10 billion illicit 
venture that seeks to destroy endangered and troubled wildlife.
  Currently, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) does not protect the vast 
majority of wild animals killed and imported.
  While the ESA allows for the importation of endangered and threatened 
species for scientific research, propagation or survival of the 
species, hunters are abusing this limited exception to murder and 
transport protected wildlife for sport.
  As a result of this loophole, tens of thousands of wild animals are 
killed every year by trophy hunters and transported into the United 
States.
  The conservation of endangered and threatened species is critically 
important to the sustainability of our biodiversity, ecosystem and the 
beauty of wildlife as we know it.
  Terrorist organizations are not only proving to be a threat to global 
security but also a threat to our environment and natural wildlife, 
utilizing the funds from their illicit activity of wildlife poaching to 
fund their terroristic activities.
  Vulnerable species are at the mercy of transnational terrorist groups 
whose actions

[[Page E1579]]

place these natural inhabitants of the earth in danger of extinction.
  For example, the population of African elephants has decreased from 
1.3 million to 400,000, with 22,000 poached in 2012.
  Only 3,200 tigers remain in the wild, and these tigers remain in 
danger of being poached for their skins, bones and body parts.
  H.R. 2494 works to enforce the United Nations Security Council 
multilateral sanctions against individuals and entities engaging in 
illicit trade of wildlife in support of armed groups like the Lord's 
Resistance Army, al-Shabaab and other terrorist organizations.
  This legislation supports the efforts of the State Department under 
the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program to dismantle the 
wildlife trafficking syndicates in the global south from Africa to 
Asia.
  This legislation supports the President's Executive Order 13648, 
geared at combatting wildlife trafficking, through the creation of a 
Presidential Task Force responsible for our national strategy to combat 
wildlife trafficking.
  Indeed, the United States along with 40 countries from Africa, Asia, 
the Middle East and Latin America participated in the London Conference 
on the Illegal Wildlife Trade where we collectively committed to 
addressing the cultural, social, environmental and economic 
consequences of the illegal trade in wildlife.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill seeks to protect endangered species, expand 
and professionalize wildlife enforcement networks through: assessment 
of the capacity of existing enforcement networks in member countries; 
establishment of a central secretariat to coordinate enforcement 
networks; facilitation of law enforcement and intelligence efforts and 
information sharing; utilization of the expertise of international 
bodies and civil society organizations to tackle the issue; and 
training of enforcement personnel, and the creation and 
institutionalization of a wildlife enforcement platform based on the 
rule of law.
  Indeed, by making certain large-scale wildlife trafficking crimes 
predicate offenses for money laundering, racketeering, and smuggling, 
this bill elevates the seriousness of major wildlife trafficking 
offenses, putting wildlife crime on par legally with other forms of 
transnational organized crime.
  Mr. Speaker, as ranking member on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on 
Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, this bill is a 
step in the right direction as it enforces existing laws, directs 
fines, forfeitures, and penalties, all imperative for wildlife 
conservation.
  I strongly support H.R. 2494 because it supports on-the-ground 
efforts to protect species, including elephants, tigers, and rhinos 
from becoming victims of wildlife crime.

                          ____________________