H.R. 3538

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3538 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3538

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Wildlife 
Confiscations Network, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2025

Mr. Garbarino (for himself and Mr. Quigley) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Wildlife 
Confiscations Network, and for other purposes.

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 ``Wildlife Confiscations Network Act 
of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Wildlife trafficking is a continued and growing threat 
to our national security, hinders sustainable economic 
development, and undermines our laws.
(2) The connections between trafficking in illegal wildlife 
and natural resources with the financing of groups involved in 
transnational organized crime pose additional threats to the 
United States.
(3) President Donald J. Trump's Executive Order No. 13773 
demonstrated continued support for Enforcing Federal Law with 
Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and Preventing 
International Trafficking.
(4) The Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et 
seq.) prohibits the importation, exportation, transportation, 
sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase of any fish or wildlife 
or plant taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of 
any law, treaty, or regulation of the United States or any 
Indian tribal law, or foreign law.
(5) Congress remains strongly committed to combating 
wildlife trafficking and transnational organized crime.
(6) The United States border is secured by Federal agents 
and inspectors responsible for identification, seizure, 
confiscation and holding of illegal imports, including a 
diverse array of live wild animals, notably at U.S. ports of 
entry or exit with an increased burden seen in Los Angeles, 
Miami, and across the Southern border.
(7) Customs and wildlife enforcement officers at ports of 
entry have limited holding capacity, care experience, and 
transportation options for interdicted live wildlife.
(8) Numerous species of wildlife require extensive 
quarantine protocols to protect domestic livestock and 
wildlife, beyond the capacity of our ports and borders, that 
can be administered by facilities within the Wildlife 
Confiscations Network.
(9) When illegally imported live wild animals and plants 
are seized at U.S. ports of entry, it is critical for law 
enforcement to obtain forensic documentation, maintain 
evidentiary integrity, and ensure the health, wellbeing, and 
proper care of all seized wildlife and plants in government 
custody.
(10) From 2015 to 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
had 834 cases involving live wildlife interdiction, which 
included 48,793 individual live animals, an average of nearly 
30 per day, requiring placement and care.
(11) In 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
Association of Zoos and Aquariums formed a cooperative 
agreement to implement a pilot network in southern California 
to lessen the logistical burden by serving as a point of 
contact to coordinate placement and care of seized live animals 
while maintaining legal chain of custody.
(12) The Wildlife Confiscations Network provides a 
cooperative and coordinated response for the care and wellbeing 
of wildlife confiscated from illegal trade at United States 
border crossings and points of entry in Southern California 
from the point of seizure to placement or repatriation and, in 
just 2 years, has successfully placed over 4,100 individual 
animals into care.
(13) Confiscation of trafficked plants and animals is 
critical to preventing their re-entry into illegal trade, 
empowering law enforcement to document and maintain evidence of 
and effectively combat illegal wildlife trafficking.
(14) The Wildlife Confiscations Network clearly aligns with 
OMB Circular A-76 by supporting wildlife law enforcement, an 
inherently governmental function, and removing the placement 
and care of confiscated live wildlife from government 
responsibility. It must be extended and expanded nationwide to 
allow law enforcement officers across the country to focus on 
their mission and mandate in combating wildlife crime.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) CITES species.--The term ``CITES species'' means an 
animal species that is listed in one of the Appendices of the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora.
(2) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the committee 
established under section 4(b)(3).
(3) Confiscated animal.--The term ``confiscated animal'' 
means an individual of a CITES species or a threatened or 
endangered species that is--
(A) seized at or en route to or from a port or 
border of the United States; and
(B) placed at a qualified animal care facility for 
provision of general care and welfare to such 
individual.
(4) Network.--The term ``Network'' means the Wildlife 
Confiscations Network established under section 4(a).
(5) Qualified animal care facility.--The term ``qualified 
animal care facility'' means a zoological facility, aquarium 
facility, wildlife sanctuary, animal rescue organization, 
animal rehabilitation organization, nongovernmental 
organization, university that has been reviewed by the 
Committee and--
(A) that, as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act, provides care to an individual of a CITES species 
or a threatened or endangered species; or
(B) has expertise in the care of wildlife and has 
received and provided care for a confiscated animal 
within the 5 years preceding the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(7) Threatened or endangered species.--The term 
``threatened or endangered species'' means an animal species 
that is listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)--
(A) as a threatened species; or
(B) as an endangered species.

SEC. 4. WILDLIFE CONFISCATIONS NETWORK.

(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a voluntary, 
cooperative program, in partnership with a professional accrediting 
zoological association with existing capacity and expertise in wildlife 
confiscations, to assist Federal wildlife law enforcement agencies with 
the placement and care of confiscated animals, to be known as the 
``Wildlife Confiscations Network''.
(b) Functions.--The Network shall--
(1) establish a cooperative and coordinated response 
protocol for the care and welfare of confiscated animals;
(2) create and maintain a database of qualified animal care 
facilities to provide immediate triage needs and long-term 
housing and care for confiscated animals;
(3) establish a committee within the Network to review and 
approve or reject applications for inclusion in the Network 
submitted under subsection (c) by entities listed in paragraph 
(1) of that subsection; and
(4) act as the single point of contact for Federal wildlife 
law enforcement agencies to assist in the placement and care of 
confiscated animals in qualified zoological facilities.
(c) Membership.--
(1) In general.--Each of the following entities may submit 
to the Committee an application to join the Network:
(A) Wildlife sanctuaries.
(B) Aquarium facilities.
(C) Zoological facilities.
(D) Animal rescue organizations.
(E) Animal rehabilitation organizations.
(F) Universities.
(G) Nongovernmental organizations.
(2) Contents of application.--An application submitted 
under paragraph (1) by an entity listed in that paragraph shall 
contain information sufficient for the Committee to determine 
whether such entity--
(A) has, as determined by the Committee, the 
necessary credentials, including all necessary local, 
State, and Federal permits and licenses; and
(B) is an effective, responsible, and appropriate 
entity capable of assisting Federal wildlife law 
enforcement agencies in the placement and care of 
confiscated animals.
(3) Determination.--The Committee shall review each 
application submitted under paragraph (1) and approve or reject 
each such application.
(d) Committee.--
(1) Membership.--The Committee shall include 
representatives from each of the following entities, provided 
they are members of the Network:
(A) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(B) The professional accrediting zoological 
association partner administering the Network as 
established under section 4(a).
(C) Zoological facility.
(D) Aquarium facility.
(E) Wildlife sanctuary.
(F) Nongovernmental organization.
(G) Wildlife rehabilitation facility, wildlife 
rescue organization, or other animal holding facility.
(2) Initial members.--The Secretary, in consultation with 
community stakeholders, including public and private entities 
that are actively involved in the care, rescue, and 
rehabilitation of any threatened or endangered species, and 
with advisement from the partnered professional accrediting 
zoological association, shall appoint each initial member to 
the Committee in accordance with paragraph (1).
(3) Subsequent members.--Except for the appointment of the 
initial members of the Committee under paragraph (2), each 
member of the Committee shall be elected by a majority vote of 
the members of the Committee through a call for service and 
application process implemented by the Committee.
(4) Term of membership.--
(A) Initial members.--Of the initial members 
appointed to the Committee by the Secretary--
(i) 2 members shall be appointed for a term 
of 1 year;
(ii) 2 members shall be appointed for a 
term of 2 years; and
(iii) 3 members shall be appointed for a 
term of 3 years.
(B) Subsequent members.--Each member of the 
Committee elected under paragraph (3) shall serve on 
the Committee for a term of 3 years.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

To carry out this section, $5,000,000 is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 
2030.
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