via Central Segrest Inc. and PIJAC

A last-minute amendment has been made to the America COMPETES Act (HR4521) that would impact all pet animals except cats and dogs, despite the originally stated purpose of HR4521 being to strengthen America’s economic and national security. We need you to take action today!

What’s at stake: The amendment to HR4521 is concerning for the pet care community because it would:

  • Create a white list of approved species that can be imported, where any animal not listed is treated as an injurious species by default and banned from importation into the United States;
  • Change the Lacey Act shipment clause to ban the intersate transport of species listed as injurious; and
  • Establish new emergency powers that would allow USFWS to use an “emergency designation” that is effective immediately after publication in the Federal Register unless extended up to 60 days to prohibit importation of species if found injurious to humans, ag, horticulture, forestry, wildlife or wildlife resources of U.S. for no more than 3 years.

What you can do:

  1. Send a message to your US Representative urging them to VOTE NO to amendments to HR4521 impacting the Lacey Act.
  2. Spread the word: Contact everyone you know in the pet trade and urge them to use this Alert and send emails to their Representatives.

It will only take a few minutes, but it is vital to the pet industry that you send a letter to your representative. The House Rules Committee heard the COMPETES Act amendment on Feb 1, 2022, and it may be up for a vote on the House floor in the coming days.

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Further information can also be found via USARK at https://usark.org/2022lacey/

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