Congressional Record—House H11444
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H11444 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 18, 2003 the student athletes on the tennis bill (H.R. 1006) to amend the Lacey Act ‘‘(4) STATE AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this team. Amendments of 1981 to further the con- subsection preempts or supersedes the au- Winning a national championship is servation of certain wildlife species, as thority of a State to regulate wildlife species something to be proud of, not only for amended. within that State.’’. (b) APPLICATION.—Section 3(a)(2)(C) of the the university but for its students, fac- The Clerk read as follows: Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (as added by ulty, and the surrounding community. H.R. 1006 subsection (a)(1)(A)(iii)) shall apply begin- The achievement that marks a na- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- ning on the effective date of regulations pro- tional championship brings out the resentatives of the United States of America in mulgated under section 3(e)(3) of that Act (as best athletic performance our colle- Congress assembled, added by subsection (a)(2)). giate sports have to offer. Everyone in- SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- volved in this should be congratulated This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Captive ant to the rule, the gentleman from for their performances. Wildlife Safety Act’’. Maryland (Mr. GILCHREST) and the gen- In closing, I would urge Members to SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF PROHIBITED WILDLIFE tleman from New Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) support this resolution, and again I SPECIES. Section 2 of the Lacey Act Amendments of each will control 20 minutes. commend the University of Illinois The Chair recognizes the gentleman men’s tennis team, extend to them my 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (g) from Maryland (Mr. GILCHREST). commendations and extend to the through (j) as subsections (h) through (k), re- GENERAL LEAVE President, President Stukel and all of spectively; and Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I ask the faculty, this is a rare occurrence (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol- unanimous consent that all Members for the University of Illinois. I know lowing: may have 5 legislative days within everybody in Illinois is indeed de- ‘‘(g) PROHIBITED WILDLIFE SPECIES.—The which to revise and extend their re- lighted that the university has reached term ‘prohibited wildlife species’ means any lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cou- marks and include extraneous material this milestone. on H.R. 1006. Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise gar species, or any hybrid of such a species.’’. SEC. 3. PROHIBITED ACTS. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there today to honor a truly remarkable group of objection to the request of the gen- young athletes. The University of Illinois fight- (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3 of the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3372) is tleman from Maryland? ing Illini Men’s Tennis Team had a memorable amended— There was no objection. and historic 2002–2003 season. Beside win- (1) in subsection (a)— Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I ning their seventh consecutive Big Ten Con- (A) in paragraph (2)— yield myself such time as I may con- ference regular-season championship, as well (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘, or’’ sume. as their sixth Big Ten Tournament crown in at the end and inserting a semicolon; Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of this the last 7 years, the undefeated Fighting Illini (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘or’’ legislation, I am pleased to rise in after the semicolon at the end; and won the first NCA team championship in the strong support of the Captive Wildlife history of the University of Illinois tennis pro- (iii) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(C) any live animal of a prohibited wild- Safety Act. This measure addresses the gram. growing problem of unqualified and in- Using three different players in the singles life species (subject to subsection (e));’’; (B) in paragraph (3)(B), by inserting ‘‘or’’ experienced individuals who are pur- and doubles tournaments, the Illini captured after the semicolon at the end; and chasing an increasing number of large the rare triple crown of college tennis by win- (C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘para- exotic cats. There are dozens of Web ning the national championships in the team graphs (1) through (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘para- sites that offer lion or tiger cubs for as tournament, the singles tournament, and the graphs (1) through (3)’’; and little as $300. Sadly, we know that one (2) by adding at the end the following: doubles tournament and were the first team in of those Internet tigers ended up living the Nation to do so with three different players ‘‘(e) NONAPPLICABILITY OF PROHIBITED WILDLIFE SPECIES OFFENSE.— in deplorable conditions in an apart- since the current NCAA tennis team cham- ment complex in Bronx, New York. pionship format began in 1977. ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a)(2)(C) does not apply to importation, exportation, trans- While these species are extremely at- Coach Craig Tiley, Assistant Coach Bruce portation, sale, receipt, acquisition, or pur- tractive when they are young, they Berque and the entire University of Illinois chase of an animal of a prohibited wildlife quickly become 400-pound unwanted men’s tennis team are a great source of pride species, by a person that, under regulations pets. Those buying these cats simply for their university, the Champaign-Urbana prescribed under paragraph (3), is described do not have the knowledge or resources community and the 15th District of Illinois. I in paragraph (2) with respect to that species. to provide the specific nutritional, thank Chairman BOEHNER and Alison Ream of ‘‘(2) PERSONS DESCRIBED.—A person is de- physical and environmental require- the Education and Workforce Committee for scribed in this paragraph, if the person— ments of these animals. In many cases, their help with bringing H. Res. 391 to the ‘‘(A) is licensed and inspected by the Ani- mal and Plant Health Inspection Service they are unaware of the animals’ floor and I ask my colleagues to support the with respect to that species; growth patterns and the enormous cost bill. ‘‘(B) is a State college, university, or agen- of caring for them over their lifetime. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I cy, State-licensed wildlife rehabilitator, or yield back the balance of my time. In addition, escaped exotic animals State-licensed veterinarian; have seriously injured or killed a num- Mr. MCKEON. Mr. Speaker, I thank ‘‘(C) is an accredited wildlife sanctuary the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. JOHN- that cares for prohibited wildlife species ber of our citizens. In far too many cases, these pets are SON) for bringing forth this resolution and— honoring the Fighting Illini athletes, ‘‘(i) is a corporation that is exempt from abandoned, locked away in tiny cages, and I yield back the balance of my taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal or sold for their hide, meat and bones time. Revenue Code 1986 and described in sections because, sadly, they are worth more The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. 501(c)(3) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) of such Code; dead than alive. H.R. 1006 will help to ‘‘(ii) does not commercially trade in ani- solve the problem by making it illegal SIMPSON). The question is on the mo- mals listed in section 2(g), including off- tion offered by the gentleman from to buy, sell, or trade certain large ex- spring, parts, and byproducts of such ani- otic cats in interstate or foreign com- California (Mr. MCKEON) that the mals; House suspend the rules and agree to ‘‘(iii) does not propagate animals; and merce. the resolution, H. Res. 391. ‘‘(iv) does not allow direct contact between Under the terms of the bill, the term The question was taken; and (two- the public and animals; or ‘‘prohibited wildlife species’’ is defined thirds having voted in favor thereof) ‘‘(D) has custody of the animal solely for to include lions, tigers, leopards, chee- the rules were suspended and the reso- the purpose of expeditiously transporting the tahs, jaguars and cougars and the hy- lution was agreed to. animal to a person described in this para- brids of those species. The measure A motion to reconsider was laid on graph with respect to the species. does not ban the private ownership of ‘‘(3) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days these cats and specific exemptions the table. after the date of enactment of this sub- f section, the Secretary, in cooperation with have been provided by qualified aquar- iums, circuses, sanctuaries and zoos. CAPTIVE WILDLIFE SAFETY ACT the Director of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, shall promulgate regula- During our subcommittee hearing, Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I tions describing the persons described in there was a great deal of support for move to suspend the rules and pass the paragraph (2). H.R. 1006. One of our witnesses was Ms. VerDate jul 14 2003 02:32 Nov 20, 2003 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K18NO7.138 H18PT2 November 18, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H11445 Tippi Hedren who is not only a famous This act will take a large stride in I thank the gentleman from Cali- actress, but also someone who has dedi- preventing future acts by lions, tigers, fornia (Mr. GEORGE MILLER) for helping cated her life to saving hundreds of and other exotic cats to people in our me on this bipartisan effort. I also ex- wildlife species by operating the towns and cities across the country.