,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ebec  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #be1
 #bjbd,mr4 ,sullivan introduced the     
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the ,marine      
,mammal ,protection ,act of #aigb to    
protect the cultural practices and      
livelihoods of producers of ,alaska     
,native handicrafts and marine mammal   
ivory products1 and for other purposes4 
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,alaska's ,right ,to ,ivory     
,sales and ,tradition ,act or the       
,,artist ,act4  #b4 ,alaska ,native     
handicrafts ,section #aja7;b7 of the    
,marine ,mammal ,protection ,act ,of    
#aigb 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #acga7;b77 is      
amended to read as follows3  7b7        
,exemption for ,alaskan ,natives  7#a7  
,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7  
,authentic ,alaska ,native article of   
handicrafts and clothing ,the term      

authentic ,alaska ,native article of    
handicrafts and clothing means an item  
composed wholly1 or in some significant 
respect1 of natural materials that is   
produced1 decorated1 or fashioned in the
 exercise of traditional ,alaska ,native
 handicrafts by an ,indian1 ,aleut1 or  
,eskimo who resides in ,alaska and who  
dwells on the coast of the ,north       
,pacific ,ocean or the ,arctic ,ocean   
without the use of a pantograph1        
multiple carvers1 or any other mass     
copying device4  7,b7 ,marine mammal    
ivory ,the term marine mammal ivory     
includes a tooth or tusk from a species 
of walrus1 narwhal1 or whale4  7,c7     
,traditional ,alaska ,native handicrafts
 ,the term traditional ,alaska ,native  
handicrafts includes weaving1 carving1  
stitching1 sewing1 lacing1 beading1     
drawing1 and painting4  7#b7 ,exemption 
7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided in 
section #aji1 the provisions of this    
,act shall not apply with respect to the
 taking of any marine mammal by any     

,indian1 ,aleut1 or ,eskimo who resides 
in ,alaska and who dwells on the coast  
of the ,north ,pacific ,ocean or the    
,arctic ,ocean if such taking-- 7i7 7,i7
 is for subsistence purposes2 or  7,,ii7
 is done for purposes of creating and   
selling authentic ,alaska ,native       
articles of handicrafts and clothing2   
and  7ii7 in each case1 is not          
accomplished in a wasteful manner4  7,b7
 ,special rules  7i7 ,interstate        
commerce of items ,an item presented as 
an authentic ,alaska ,native article of 
handicrafts and clothing may be sold in 
interstate commerce only if it comports 
with the definition provided in         
paragraph 7#a77;,a74  7ii7 ,edible      
portion of marine mammal ,any edible    
portion of a marine mammal taken for the
 primary purpose of creating and selling
 authentic ,alaska ,native articles of  
handicrafts and clothing may be sold in 
a native village or town in ,alaska or  
for native consumption4  7#c7           
,limitations  7,a7 ,in general          

,notwithstanding paragraph 7#b71 if1    
under this ,act1 the ,secretary         
determines any species or stock of      
marine mammal subject to taking by      
,indians1 ,aleuts1 or ,eskimos to be    
depleted1 the ,secretary may prescribe  
regulations upon the taking of such     
marine mammals by any ,indian1 ,aleut1  
or ,eskimo described in this subsection4
  7,b7 ,content of regulations ,the     
regulations described in subparagraph   
7,a7 may be established with reference  
to species or stocks1 geographical      
description of the area included1 the   
season for taking1 or any other factors 
related to the reason for establishing  
such regulations and consistent with the
 purposes of this ,act4  7,c7 ,notice   
and hearing2 removal of regulations ,the
 regulations described in subparagraph  
7,a7 shall be prescribed after notice   
and hearing required by section #ajc of 
this title and shall be removed as soon 
as the ,secretary determines that the   
need for their imposition has           

disappeared4  7,d7 ,regulations to be   
supported by substantial evidence ,in   
promulgating any regulation or making   
any assessment pursuant to a hearing or 
proceeding under this subsection or     
section #aag7;b77#b71 or in making any  
determination of depletion under this   
subsection or finding regarding         
unmitigable adverse impacts under       
subsection 7a77#e7 that affects stocks  
or persons to which this subsection     
applies1 the ,secretary shall           
demonstrate in writing 7and make such   
writing publicly available on the       
website of the ,secretary7 that1 in     
consideration of the whole record1      
including ,indigenous knowledge1 such   
regulation1 assessment1 determination1  
or finding is supported by substantial  
evidence4 ,the preceding sentence shall 
only be applicable in an action brought 
by one or more ,alaska ,native          
organizations representing persons to   
which this subsection applies4  7#d7    
,prohibitions ,no ,state shall prohibit 

the importation1 sale1 offer for sale1  
transfer1 trade1 barter1 possession1 or 
possession with the intent to sell1     
transfer1 trade1 or barter of marine    
mammal ivory or marine mammal bone or   
baleen incorporated under this title by 
an ,indian1 ,aleut1 or ,eskimo1 into an 
authentic ,alaska ,native article of    
handicrafts and clothing4  4