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Bills/119th Congress · House

H.R. 8401

Introduced

To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the transport, purchase, and sale of pelts of, and handicrafts, garments, and art produced from, Southcentral and Southeast Alaska northern sea otters that are taken for subsistence purposes.

Sponsor
RNicholas J. Begich III· Alaska
Introduced
April 21, 2026
Policy area
Animals
Latest action
Subcommittee Hearings HeldJune 3, 2026
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8401 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8401

To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the 
transport, purchase, and sale of pelts of, and handicrafts, garments, 
and art produced from, Southcentral and Southeast Alaska northern sea 
otters that are taken for subsistence purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 21, 2026

Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow the 
transport, purchase, and sale of pelts of, and handicrafts, garments, 
and art produced from, Southcentral and Southeast Alaska northern sea 
otters that are taken for subsistence purposes.

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

SECTION 1. TRANSPORT, PURCHASE, AND SALE OF PELTS OF, AND HANDICRAFTS, 
GARMENTS, AND ART PRODUCED FROM SOUTHCENTRAL AND 
SOUTHEAST ALASKA NORTHERN SEA OTTERS TAKEN FOR 
SUBSISTENCE PURPOSES.

Section 102 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
1372) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Sea Otter Pelts and Products.--Nothing in this Act 
prohibits--
``(1) the transport, purchase, sale of, or any offer to 
purchase or sell, any pelt of an otter from the Southcentral or 
Southeast Alaska stock of northern sea otters that is taken for 
subsistence purposes in accordance with section 101(b)(1); or
``(2) the transport, purchase, sale, export of, or any 
offer to purchase, sell or export, any handicraft, garment, or 
art that is produced from the pelt of the Southcentral or 
Southeast Alaska stock of northern sea otters that is taken for 
subsistence purposes in accordance with section 101(b)(1), 
regardless of whether the handicraft, garment, or art--
``(A) is traditional or contemporary; or
``(B) is or is not altered significantly.''.
<all>

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