,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eded ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #aa1 #bjad ,mr4 ,de,fazio introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,african ,elephant ,conservation ,act to provide for trade sanctions against countries involved in illegal ivory trade1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,targeted ,use of ,sanctions for ,killing ,elephants in ,their ,range ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,findings and purpose 7a7 ,findings ,the ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 poaching of ,african elephants has increased dramatically since #bjjf1 and has reached levels that threaten the continued existence of many elephant populations2 7#b7 poaching of ,african elephants is being driven by increased demand for ivory in ,asia1 which has caused ivory prices to rise exponentially in recent years2 7#c7 high ivory prices have drawn organized criminal elements into the illegal ivory trade1 and it is widely recognized that transnational crime rings involved in trafficking in drugs1 guns1 and humans are also responsible for trafficking in large quantities of poached ivory from ,africa to ,asia2 7#d7 there is significant evidence that terrorist and insurgent groups in ,africa1 including groups with ties to al-,qaeda1 are financing their operations through the sale of illegal ivory2 7#e7 the elephant poaching crisis has become so severe1 and the tactics of poachers so sophisticated1 that traditional approaches to conservation law enforcement intended to protect elephants in their habitat in ,africa are failing2 7#f7 a number of countries that serve as major source1 transit1 or destination points for illegal ivory have proven unable or unwilling to stop the product from coming across their borders2 and 7#g7 strategies to reduce demand for ivory through education and other nonbinding means are necessary1 but not sufficient1 to conserve ,african elephant populations4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this ,act is to provide a means by which the ,united ,states can affect demand for and illegal trafficking of ,african elephant ivory in other countries by requiring those countries to enter into consultations with the ,united ,states to end the illegal ivory trade1 as a condition of continued access to ,united ,states markets for other natural resource products4 #c4 ,illegal ivory trade defined ,section #bcje of the ,african ,elephant ,conservation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #dbdd7 is amended by redesignating paragraphs 7#e7 through 7#ac7 as paragraphs 7#f7 through 7#ad71 respectively1 and by inserting after paragraph 7#d7 the following3 7#e7 ,illegal ivory trade ,the term illegal ivory trade means any sale1 purchase1 barter1 transit1 or exchange of raw ivory or worked ivory that was taken in violation of the laws of an ivory producing country or of international wildlife trade agreements1 including ,,cites4 4 #d4 ,amendment to findings in ,african ,elephant ,conservation ,act ,section #bjjc of the ,african ,elephant ,conservation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #dbjb7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#aj7 ,poaching and trafficking of wildlife has become a global crisis1 funding organized criminal syndicates and terrorist organizations and harming elephant populations and local communities4 ,african elephant ivory is at the center of this crisis1 and immediate action is necessary to eliminate the demand for ivory and the profit incentive for poachers and traffickers4 4 #e4 ,statement of policy ,section #bjjd of the ,african ,elephant ,conservation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #dbjc7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking and after the semicolon at the end of paragraph 7#a72 7#b7 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#b7 and by inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 to prevent additional ,african elephant ivory from entering global commerce1 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 trade4 4 #f4 ,certification under ,fishermen's ,protective ,act of #aifg ,section #bbjb of the ,african ,elephant ,conservation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #dbbb7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7g7 ,certification ,identification of a country by the ,,cites ,standing ,committee as a country of primary concern because it is a significant source or transit or destination point for illegal ivory trade is deemed to be a certification with respect to the country for the purposes of section #h7;a7 of the ,fishermen's ,protective ,act of #aifg 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #aigh7;a774 4 #g4 ,consultation and sanction 7a7 ,in general ,part ,,ii of the ,african ,elephant ,conservation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #dbba et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #bbjf4 ,consultation and sanction 7a7 ,consultation ,not later than #cj days after a certification with respect to the country under section #bbjb7;g71 the ,president shall seek to enter into consultations with the government of the country for the purpose of obtaining an agreement that will immediately terminate all illegal ivory trade into1 out of1 or within that country4 7b7 ,prohibition on trade in related natural resources 7#a7 ,in general ,if consultations with a government under subsection 7a7 are not satisfactorily concluded within #ij days or if a government refuses to enter into consultations1 the ,president shall direct the ,secretary to prohibit the importation into the ,united ,states of products of wildlife1 fish1 and plants from that country until the earlier of-- 7,a7 the date an agreement with the country under subsection 7a7 is finalized2 or 7,b7 the date the ,,cites ,standing ,committee finds that the country is no longer a significant source or transit or destination point for illegal ivory trade4 7#b7 ,public notice ,the ,secretary shall publish public notice of any prohibition under this subsection not later than #cj days before the effective date of the prohibition4 7c7 ,determination of effectiveness of sanctions ,not later than #ahj days after the effective date of a prohibition under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary shall determine and report to ,congress whether-- 7#a7 the prohibition is sufficient to cause the country to terminate illegal ivory trade into1 out of1 or within that country2 and 7#b7 that country has retaliated against the ,united ,states as a result of that prohibition4 4 7b7 ,countries identified before enactment ,in the case of a country that before the date of the enactment of this ,act was identified by the ,,cites ,standing ,committee as a country of primary concern because it is a significant source or transit or destination point for illegal ivory trade and that the ,,cites ,standing ,committee continues to identify as such on the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president shall seek to enter into consultations under the amendment made by subsection 7a7 by not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4