Senate Bill Introduced to Protect Legal Ivory

By Ammoland

Appropriations Bill Language to Protect Lawful Ivory Owners Wins Key House Vote

Gilbert, AZ –-(Ammoland.com)- By a vote of 244-183, the U.S. House last week defeated an amendment that would have stripped out language in the FY2016 Interior Appropriations bill that protects the interstate commerce of lawfully owned products containing ivory, including knives with ivory handles or embellishment.

This is ivory that has been legally in the U.S. for decades, having been imported prior to the implementation of the already existing ivory import bans. It would have no effect on the existing import bans which remain in place.

This was a very important vote for all those involved in the coalition working to protect lawfully owned ivory in this country. It sends a message to the Administration that there is significant and meaningful opposition to its efforts to irrationally and unconstitutionally punish lawful U.S. ivory owners in its politically motivated effort to ban ivory trade in the U.S., which will have no impact on the international trade in poached ivory. Whether the FY2016 Interior Appropriations bill actually moves forward is another question entirely, as other controversial issues have currently stalled this bill.