UPDATED: CECIL Act Passes House Natural Resources Committee
OutdoorHub Reporters 09.24.19
**This article has been updated to correct an error stating HR 2245 was passed by the House.**
HR 2245, also called the CECIL Act, passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee on a party-line vote of 19-16 and now awaits a vote on the House Floor.
Back in April, Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-Arizona), introduced the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing Importation of Large Animal Species (CECIL) Act, which places significant restrictions on hunting and importing game taken outside of the United States, increases the cost of obtaining any import/export permits still available and prohibits ALL import permits for elephants and lions taken in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
“HR 2245 – A Bill to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit import and export of any species listed or proposed to be listed under such Act as a threatened species or endangered species, and for other purposes.”
HR 2245 will wipe out the distinction between threatened and endangered species, as well as make it even more difficult to obtain import permits for legally hunted game. The bill also blocks feedback from range countries in determining whether a species can be hunted by Americans.
Essentially, the CECIL Act oversteps an extensive process and prohibits hunting for certain species BEFORE they’re even named on the threatened or endangered list.
“This bill will derail clearly proven wildlife management strategies in Africa that are recovering the world’s largest populations of lions, elephants, and other species,” Safari Club International states. “If implemented, H.R. 2245 would undermine the authority and the on-going wildlife management plans of several African nations. H.R. 2245 is an ill-conceived attempt to substitute emotionalism with rational wildlife conservation.”
Further, those who suggest ‘hunters are only upset because they can’t hunt certain species anymore,’ are simply misinformed.
According to the Sportsmen’s Alliance, the passing of this legislation is sure to have negative consequences on multiple African nations who depend on the revenue generated by hunters to continue vital anti-poaching programs that have helped several species rebound, along with other conservation efforts proven extremely effective.
“The survival of iconic species is in real danger due to this legislation, which will result in a massive decrease in Americans hunting abroad,” said Bruce Tague, vice president of government affairs for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “It is vital that sportsmen let their congressmen and women know that HR 2245 unfairly targets law-abiding hunters, ignores input from range countries and will actually harm wildlife.”
As far as what you can do to take action, follow this link to use Safari Club International’s Hunter Advocacy Action Center to tell Congress to keep politics out of wildlife management!
