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

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

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.

Committees of jurisdiction 3