The reply I got after sending my letters last week... I wonder how many other of our reps had absolutely no idea that this was going on??

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Thank you for contacting me concerning the Lacey Act. I appreciate knowing your thoughts on this matter.

The Lacey Act was signed into law in 1900. It was the first federal law designed to protect wildlife and is administered by the Departments of Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture (USDA). Over the past century, the law has been amended several times to expand protection to a broader range of flora and fauna, and to control the potentially dangerous introduction of non-native species.

Most recently, the bill was amended by the 2008 Farm Bill to prohibit the import of illegally logged timber and timber products. This amendment included language from the Combat Illegal Logging Act of 2007, which was written to help curb illegal logging practices abroad by eliminating offenders’ access to the U.S. market.

I appreciate your concerns regarding the scope of the Lacey Act. Although no legislation has been introduced that would amend or defund the Lacey Act, I will keep your views in mind in case the matter is considered by the Senate in the future.

Again, thank you for your message. Please feel free to stay in touch on issues of importance to you.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator