<[link removed]> ConservAmerica Voices Support for Advancing Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act WASHINGTON, DC – ConservAmerica sent a letter today to the leadership of the House Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee in support of advancing H.R.1546, the Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2021 <[link removed]> . The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Georgia), reauthorizes the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking tasked with developing recommendations to address wildlife trafficking online and on social media. “The internet has opened a new front in the war against international wildlife trafficking that deserves the full attention of the State Department and USAID,” said ConservAmerica Vice President Todd Johnston. “ConservAmerica supports Rep. Carter’s legislation to improve protection for vulnerable species the world over and urges the subcommittee to advance it to the full committee for consideration.” Rep. Carter is co-chair of the House Roosevelt Conservation Caucus <[link removed]> , a bicameral caucus that champions market approaches to clean air and water, wildlife conservation, and increased access to public lands and waters. The full text of the letter to Chairman Jared Huffman (D-Missouri) and Ranking Member Cliff Bentz (R-Oregon) is below and can be found here <[link removed]> . Chair Huffman and Ranking Member Bentz: Thank you for including H.R.1546, the Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2021, in your January 20, 2022, legislative hearing. On behalf of ConservAmerica, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting commonsense, market based and fiscally responsible solutions to today’s environmental, conservation, and energy challenges, I write in support of this bipartisan bill. Helping to reform, strengthen, and improve the protection and recovery of species ranks among ConservAmerica’s highest priorities. H.R.1546 builds upon the successful Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 by reauthorizing the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking and including within its mandate provisions that address wildlife trafficking online. The Task Force, which is comprised of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Attorney General guides efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate wildlife crimes, enforce wildlife laws, regulate wildlife trade, and works in partnership with international, state, and tribal counterparts to conserve wildlife resources. The bill amends the underlying statute to require the Task Force to develop recommendations and establish a working group to address wildlife trafficking on the internet. The legislation also requires the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to develop a strategy for engaging with internet and social media companies to address wildlife trafficking on their platforms. We believe that H.R.1546 is a commonsense step to affirm and modernize our efforts to curtail wildlife trafficking and urge the Subcommittee to advance the bill to the full Committee on Natural Resources for further consideration. Todd Johnston Vice President For further information, contact [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> . ConservAmerica is a nonprofit organization that advocates for balanced market-based solutions to conservation, environmental, and energy challenges. Visit us at ConservAmerica <[link removed]> and follow us on Twitter @ConservAmerica <[link removed]> and Facebook <[link removed]> . ### ConservAmerica, 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington DC, United States Powered by Squarespace <[link removed]> Unsubscribe <[link removed]>