Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Support the Lawful Ivory Protection Act

Friday, July 18, 2014

In a supposed attempt to preserve African elephants, the Obama administration has begun a series of arbitrary decrees that will destroy the value of property held by countless gun owners, art collectors, musicians and others.  The Lawful Ivory Protection Act of 2014 (S. 2587 by Sen. Alexander and H.R. 5052 by Reps. Daines and Miller) will call a halt to this process and allow the United States to consider more reasonable and effective approaches.

For decades, the United States has generally banned the commercial importation of African elephant ivory other than antique items more than 100 years old; it also bans the commercial export of all raw ivory and strictly regulates export of worked ivory. However, legally imported ivory may be sold within the U.S. because the Fish and Wildlife Service has long presumed that most ivory in the U.S. was legally imported and that its sale in the U.S. would not increase poaching.  As recently as 2012, the FWS said, “[W]e do not believe that there is a significant illegal ivory trade into this country.”

In a drastic change, on February 11, 2014, the Obama administration announced a proposal to ban all U.S. commercial trade in elephant ivory.  Shortly after, the administration began announcing steps toward that ban, including:

  • A February 25 Fish and Wildlife Service “Director’s Order” broadening the 1989 moratorium on commercial ivory importation to include many previously importable antiques, in part by imposing new and burdensome requirements on importers, exporters and sellers to prove that their ivory is more than 100 years old. 
  • A May 27 final rule that amends implementing regulations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and purports to apply those regulations to lawful domestic trade, which is outside the scope of the treaty.
  • A yet-unpublished proposed rule under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that will revoke current allowances for domestic sale of lawfully imported elephant ivory.  

These actions and proposals will do nothing to protect elephants in Africa and Asia, but will make sellers of legal ivory potential criminals overnight. The effects will be far-reaching, since ivory is used for both decorative and functional purposes in items such as firearms, knives, furniture, jewelry, art, and musical instruments.   If implemented, the ban would effectively make these items valueless for their owners.

The Lawful Ivory Protection Act would address this problem by limiting the administration’s rulemaking authority under the Endangered Species Act.  Under the bill, no ESA enforcement regulations, orders, policies, or practices could prohibit or restrict domestic commerce in lawfully imported ivory.  The bill would also return the rules on importation and possession of lawful ivory to those that were in effect before the February 25 FWS order.  These changes are essential to block administrative overreaching and support effective wildlife conservation efforts.

IN THIS ARTICLE
Hunting/Conservation
TRENDING NOW
Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

In a temporary reprieve for Colorado gun owners, the semi-auto ban HB24-1292 has been removed from the calendar. But we cannot let our guard down as gun control advocates can bring it up for a vote at ...

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

Much of the attention this past week in the United States Supreme Court was the oral arguments in National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo, No. 22-842, a First Amendment case on whether government officials ...

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on House Bill 24-1292, the semi-auto ban, that lasted over 12 hours where hundreds of patriotic Coloradans overloaded the committee with opposition testimony. The hearing concluded with an ...

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

News  

Second Amendment  

Monday, March 25, 2024

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

In response to the NRA’s victory in Bruen, which secured every American’s right to carry arms, NY passed the “Concealed Carry Improvement Act,” severely restricting carry throughout the state. The 2nd Circuit upheld many of ...

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

On March 19, the city of Chicago filed suit against handgun manufacturer Glock. Seeking to shift responsibility for the city’s woeful governance, Chicago’s lawsuit blames the popular firearm manufacturer for the third-party criminal misuse of ...

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Today, Governor Inslee signed five anti-gun bills into law that were recently passed by the Washington State Legislature. The bills include:

Anti-gun Democrats Seek to Undermine Law Passed to Protect Veterans’ Rights

News  

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Anti-gun Democrats Seek to Undermine Law Passed to Protect Veterans’ Rights

Last week we reported on a major breakthrough on behalf of veterans who risked losing their Second Amendment rights because of a long-running scheme by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report certain beneficiaries ...

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled for Floor Vote Today!

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled for Floor Vote Today!

Today, the House is scheduled to vote on HB24-1292, the ban on semi-automatic firearms. Please contact your legislators today by using the button below and urge them to OPPOSE HB24-1292!

Louisiana: Firearms Bills on the Move - Take Action Now!

Monday, March 25, 2024

Louisiana: Firearms Bills on the Move - Take Action Now!

A number of firearm-related bills, including enhanced preemption, are moving in the Louisiana Legislature. It's critical that NRA members and Second Amendment supporters get involved to keep the momentum going!

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

On Wednesday, the Senate Game & Fisheries Committee voted 7-4 to pass Senate Bill 67 to the Senate floor for a vote. 

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.