16 U.S. Code § 7601 - Definitions

In this chapter:

(1) Appropriate congressional committees

The term “appropriate congressional committees” means—

(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

(2) Co-Chairs of the Task Force

The term “Co-Chairs of the Task Force” means the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Attorney General, as established pursuant to Executive Order 13648.

(3) Community conservation

The term “community conservation” means an approach to conservation involving local communities that recognizes the rights of local people to manage, or benefit directly and indirectly from wildlife and other natural resources in a long-term biologically viable manner and includes—

(A) devolving management and governance to local communities to create positive conditions for resource use that takes into account current and future ecological requirements; and

(B) building the capacity of communities for conservation and natural resource management.

(4) Country of concern

The term “country of concern” means a foreign country specially designated by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 7621(b) of this title as a major source of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, a major transit point of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, or a major consumer of wildlife trafficking products, in which—

(A) the government has actively engaged in, or knowingly profited from, the trafficking of protected species; or

(B) the government facilitates such trafficking through conduct that may include a persistent failure to make serious and sustained efforts to prevent and prosecute such trafficking.

(5) Focus country

The term “focus country” refers to a foreign country determined by the Secretary of State to be a major source of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, a major transit point of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, or a major consumer of wildlife trafficking products.

(6) Defense article; defense service; significant military equipment; training

The terms “defense article”, “defense service”, “significant military equipment”, and “training” have the meanings given such terms in section 2794 of title 22.

(7) Implementation Plan

The term “Implementation Plan” means the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking released on February 11, 2015, a modification of that plan, or a successor plan.

(8) National Strategy

The term “National Strategy” means the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking published on February 11, 2014, a modification of that strategy, or a successor strategy.

(9) National wildlife services

The term “national wildlife services” refers to the ministries and government bodies designated to manage matters pertaining to wildlife management, including poaching or trafficking, in a focus country.

(10) Security force

The term “security force” means a military, law enforcement, gendarmerie, park ranger, or any other security force with a responsibility for protecting wildlife and natural habitats.

(11) Task Force

The term “Task Force” means the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking, as established by Executive Order 13648 (78 Fed. Reg. 40621) and modified by section 7631 of this title.

(12) Wildlife trafficking

The term “wildlife trafficking” refers to the poaching or other illegal taking of protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their related parts and products.

(Pub. L. 114–231, § 2, Oct. 7, 2016, 130 Stat. 949; Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LIX, § 5943(b), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3470.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 114–231, Oct. 7, 2016, 130 Stat. 949, known as the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note below and Tables.

Executive Order 13648, referred to in pars. (2) and (11), is Ex. Ord. No. 13648, July 1, 2013, 78 F.R. 40621, which is set out as a note under section 1531 of this title.

Amendments

2022—Par. (3). Pub. L. 117–263, § 5943(b)(1), inserted “involving local communities” after “approach to conservation” in introductory provisions.

Par. (4). Pub. L. 117–263, § 5943(b)(2), amended par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The term ‘country of concern’ refers to a foreign country specially designated by the Secretary of State pursuant to subsection (b) of section 7621 of this title as a major source of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, a major transit point of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, or a major consumer of wildlife trafficking products, in which the government has actively engaged in or knowingly profited from the trafficking of endangered or threatened species.”

Par. (11). Pub. L. 117–263, § 5943(b)(3), substituted “section 7631” for “section 7621”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Pub. L. 114–231, § 1(a), Oct. 7, 2016, 130 Stat. 949, provided that:

“This Act [enacting this chapter and amending section 1956 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 1978 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse] may be cited as the ‘Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016’.”