[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 118 (Monday, July 15, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H5802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RESCUING ANIMALS WITH REWARDS ACT OF 2019

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 97) to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 
to authorize rewards for thwarting wildlife trafficking linked to 
transnational organized crime, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows

                                H.R. 97

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Rescuing Animals With 
     Rewards Act of 2019'' or the ``RAWR Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Wildlife trafficking is a major transnational crime 
     that is estimated to generate over $10 billion a year in 
     illegal profits and which is increasingly perpetrated by 
     organized, sophisticated criminal enterprises, including 
     known terrorist organizations.
       (2) Wildlife trafficking not only threatens endangered 
     species worldwide, but also jeopardizes local security, 
     spreads disease, undermines rule of law, fuels corruption, 
     and damages economic development.
       (3) Combating wildlife trafficking requires a coordinated 
     and sustained approach at the global, regional, national, and 
     local levels.
       (4) Congress stated in the Eliminate, Neutralize, and 
     Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 that it is the 
     policy of the United States to take immediate actions to stop 
     the illegal global trade in wildlife and wildlife products 
     and associated transnational organized crime.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Department of State's rewards program is a powerful tool 
     in combating sophisticated international crime and that the 
     Department of State and Federal law enforcement should work 
     in concert to offer rewards that target wildlife traffickers.

     SEC. 3. REWARDS FOR JUSTICE.

       Subparagraph (B) of section 36(k)(5) of the State 
     Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 
     2708(k)(5)) is amended by inserting ``wildlife trafficking 
     (as defined by section 2(12) of the Eliminate, Neutralize, 
     and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 (16 U.S.C. 
     7601(12); Public Law 114-231)) and'' after ``includes''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 97, Rescuing Animals With Rewards 
Act.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and rise in support of H.R. 97.
  I would like to begin by thanking Mr. Buchanan and Ms. Titus for 
introducing this important legislation.
  In recent years, Congress has taken a number of important steps to 
combat wildlife trafficking, but the situation remains dire.
  Over the last 10 years, one-third of African elephants have been 
slaughtered for their tusks--one-third. That is just shocking.
  Rhino populations have also been decimated, and many other species 
are at risk.
  Protecting wildlife is the right thing to do, but it also serves 
American national security interests. Wildlife trafficking feeds 
corruption, undermines the rule of law, threatens economic prosperity, 
and drives instability. And it is carried out by many of the same 
international criminal syndicates engaged in the trafficking of drugs, 
weapons, and people.
  The bipartisan, commonsense legislation before us today provides our 
government with a tool it can use to tackle the illegal trade in 
wildlife. Specifically, it authorizes rewards, under the State 
Department's Rewards for Justice Program, for information leading to 
the arrest or conviction of those engaged in wildlife trafficking.
  This can provide a powerful financial incentive for people to turn in 
those responsible for this appalling activity.
  Where I come from--Bronx, New York--we have the Wildlife Conservation 
Society doing such wonderful work. It is the Bronx Zoo. They are really 
doing great work in terms of this. And John Calvelli, a personal friend 
of mine, is at the forefront of trying to save animals and allowing 
people to understand what is going on in wildlife trafficking. It is 
very important, and I commend them for their role.
  This authorizes rewards, under the State Department's Rewards for 
Justice Program, for information leading to the arrest or conviction of 
those engaged in wildlife trafficking. This can provide a powerful 
financial incentive for people to turn in those responsible for this 
appalling activity.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to prioritize the 
targeting of wildlife traffickers as part of the Department of State's 
Rewards for Justice Program.
  I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) for leading this 
important bill and also Chairman Engel for bringing this bill to the 
floor.
  This legislation would give explicit authority to offer financial 
rewards for information pertaining to the capture or conviction of 
high-profile wildlife traffickers around the world. This is a powerful 
tool for Federal law enforcement to target those who engage in wildlife 
trafficking.
  Illicit wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar industry. This funds 
terrorists and criminal networks around the world, destabilizing 
countries and stripping communities of valuable economic resources.
  We know that the criminals that poach and then traffic wildlife 
products are the same people and networks that traffic weapons, drugs, 
and people.
  Our ability to crack down on illicit funding streams for criminal and 
terrorist networks is critical to U.S. national security interests in 
the global war on terrorism.
  We must ensure that the State Department and our law enforcement 
personnel have the tools they need to combat this horrible trade.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to, once again, urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this good, bipartisan bill to 
combat wildlife trafficking, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cox of California). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 97.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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