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HR 4780 117th Congress House Public Lands and Natural Resources

Refuge System Protection Act

Introduced: July 28, 2021 Introduced by: Thompson, Mike Democratic · California See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 11, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
Jul 28, 2021
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 28, 2021
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Refuge System Protection Act

This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ), at the request of the Department of the Interior, to bring in a district court a civil action against any individual or entity that destroys, causes the loss of, causes Interior to make risk mitigation efforts with respect to, or injures any resource that is within the boundaries any land or water that is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The bill also authorizes DOJ, at the request of Interior, to bring in a district court an in rem action against any instrumentality (e.g., a vessel, vehicle, or aircraft) that destroys, causes the loss of, causes Interior to make risk mitigation efforts with respect to, or injures any such system resource.

Among others, it shall be an affirmative defense in either type of action that the destruction of, loss of, risk mitigation regarding, or injury to a system resource was caused by an otherwise legal act or omission that occurred outside the boundaries of the resource.

In either type of action, the court may award response costs and damages.

What's happening now August 11, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 18
All 18 Democratic 15 Republican 1
D
Soto, Darren
Florida · Aug 12, 2022
 D
Matsui, Doris O.
California · Jul 20, 2022
 D
Ross, Deborah K.
North Carolina · Jul 20, 2022
 D
Stansbury, Melanie A.
New Mexico · Jun 14, 2022
 D
Velázquez, Nydia M.
New York · Jun 14, 2022
 D
DeGette, Diana
Colorado · Jun 9, 2022
 D
Huffman, Jared
California · Jun 9, 2022
Kuster, Ann
· Jun 9, 2022
 D
Lieu, Ted
California · Jun 9, 2022
 D
Tlaib, Rashida
Michigan · Jun 9, 2022
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · May 10, 2022
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 10, 2022
 D
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria
New York · May 10, 2022
 D
Panetta, Jimmy
California · May 10, 2022
 D
Dingell, Debbie
Michigan · Jul 28, 2021
Eshoo, Anna
· Jul 28, 2021
 D
Krishnamoorthi, Raja
Illinois · Jul 28, 2021
 R
Wittman, Robert J.
Virginia · Jul 28, 2021
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4780: Refuge System Protection Act. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-4780/
MLA
"H.R. 4780: Refuge System Protection Act." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-4780/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4780, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-4780/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4780: Refuge System Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-4780/)
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