#aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  ,s4   
#bed  ,,an ,,act  ,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 and that  
is produced1 decorated1 or fashioned in 
the exercise of traditional ,alaska     

,native handicrafts by an ,alaska       
,native 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 walrus  
7,odobenus rosmarus7 or a species of    
cetacean4  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 ,alaska ,native
 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 purpose of  
creating and selling authentic ,alaska  
,native articles of handicrafts and     
clothing may be sold for native         
consumption or in a native village or   
town in ,alaska4  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 ,alaska ,natives to be depleted1 the
 ,secretary may prescribe regulations   

upon the taking of such marine mammals  
by any ,alaska ,native 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 area1 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  7,e7 ,applicability ,the     
requirement under subparagraph 7,d7     
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 interstate commerce1 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 ,alaska ,native1 into 
an authentic ,alaska ,native article of 
handicrafts and clothing4  7#e7 ,rule of
 construction ,nothing in this          
subsection shall be construed to-- 7,a7 
impact the rights of any ,indian ,tribe 
7as defined in section #d of the ,indian
 ,self-,determination and ,education    
,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd77 
in effect on the date of enactment of   
the ,alaska's ,right to ,ivory ,sales   
and ,tradition ,act2 or  7,b7 undermine 
any government-to-government            
consultation or engagement4  4  ,passed 
the ,senate ,october #h1                
#bjbe4,secretary