| 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 |
