Federal Legislation
Born Free USA tracks bills that apply to any of our campaigns. Each bill is summarized, along with our position ("support" or "oppose") and what you can do. You can quickly see if your representatives or senators support the bill by clicking on the links provided to the cosponsors at the Library of Congress site, thomas.loc.gov.
H.R. 2657: 2011 Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act
Bill description: This bill would end the use of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here.
S. 1324/H.R. 4306: Captive Primate Safety Act
Bill description: This bill would prohibit interstate commerce in monkeys, apes and other primates in the exotic "pet" trade.
Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here.
H.R. 4214: The Compound 1080 and M-44 Elimination Act
Bill description: This bill would ban the use of two deadly poisons — sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) and sodium cyanide — presently used nationwide for lethal predator control (of coyotes and foxes, among others) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program.
Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here (PDF).
H.R. 3074 Cormorant Management and Natural Resources Protection Act
Bill description: This bill would amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to delegate the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under such act with respect to double-crested cormorants to a state on the date the U.S. Secretary of Interior approves a cormorant management plan submitted by such state.
Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here (PDF).
Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act (H.R. 4122)
Bill description: This bill would prohibit private possession of big cats except at highly qualified facilities such as accredited sanctuaries, would require any persons who currently possess big cats to register those animals with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and would outlaw the breeding of any big cat except at accredited zoos and certain research and educational institutions.
Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here.
H.R. 2210: Sportsmanship in Hunting Act of 2011
Sponsors: Steve Cohen, (D-Tenn.), and Brad Sherman, (D-Calif.)
Bill description: This bill would prohibit the interstate transport of exotic mammals for the purpose of trophy hunting or penning in smaller than 1,000 acres, and would also ban remote-controlled Internet hunting.
Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here.
H.R. 47 (regarding CITES)
Bill description: House Resolution 47 reaffirms the United States’ commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), urges the U.S. delegation to strengthen global commitments to end exploitation of species for international trade, and advocates for CITES to adopt stronger protections for polar bears, sharks, bluefin tuna, and other endangered species at the 16th meeting of the conference of parties in 2013.
