119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 9631
The Bear Poaching Elimination Act prohibits the importation, exportation, and interstate trade of bear viscera (body fluids and internal organs including gallbladders) and products containing bear viscera. The bill is driven by concerns that poaching of bears for their viscera is declining wild bear populations globally, particularly in Asia where bears are confined for bile extraction, and that opening commercial trade in the United States could stimulate illegal poaching of American bears. The legislation applies to all eight bear species and would be enforced by the Department of the Interior, with violations subject to criminal penalties of up to one year in prison and fines, as well as civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation, with seized products forfeited to the government. The bill includes exceptions for law enforcement purposes and traditional Native American ceremonies, and preserves states' rights to regulate bear hunting within their borders. The Secretary of the Interior is directed to engage in discussions with other countries about bear conservation and the trade in bear viscera.