A pair of lawmakers filed legislation on Monday to prohibit the importation of hunting trophies if they belong to a threatened or endangered species.
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Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and California Congressman Ted Lieu filed House Bill 7795, or the Prohibiting Threatened and Endangered Creature Trophies (ProTECT) Act of 2024, to amend the Endangered Species Act, so it extends protections to applicable animals outside of the U.S.
In a statement, Lee, who serves on the House Natural Resources Committee, argued that the effort was “critically important to the sustainability of our ecosystem and the beauty of wildlife as we know it.” She called the practice of trophy hunting a “highly controversial and globally unfavored practice.”
Lieu also described the act as “selfish and cruel, especially when these species are already at risk of extinction.” He argued that the amendment is necessary “to combat wildlife trafficking and conserve our beloved wildlife.”
Since the bill was filed, it’s gained 12 co-sponsors — all fellow Democrats — and support from multiple wildlife and conservation groups.
