Captive Primate Safety Act
Encyclopedia
The Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 2964) was a bill introduced in the United States House of Representatives
by Rep. Eddie Johnson
on July 10, 2007. The legislation, had it been enacted, would have modified the Lacey Act
Amendments of 1981 to treat nonhuman primates as prohibited wildlife species, allowing exemptions for zoos and research facilities. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives but never received a floor vote in the United States Senate
.
The bill was reintroduced by Rep. Mark Kirk
in February 2009 following the widely publicized mauling of Charla Nash by a pet chimpanzee.
Rep. Rob Bishop
argued against the bill during the floor debate, noting it would cost $4 million annually and do nothing directly to prevent chimpanzee attacks on humans; he also noted such attacks are relatively rare. Twenty states and the District of Columbia already had laws banning primates as pets. On February 23, the House voted 323 to 95 in favor of the bill. The House version would exempt monkey helpers.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
by Rep. Eddie Johnson
Eddie Bernice Johnson
Eddie Bernice Johnson is a politician from the state of Texas, currently representing the state's in the United States House of Representatives. She is the first registered nurse elected to the US Congress....
on July 10, 2007. The legislation, had it been enacted, would have modified the Lacey Act
Lacey Act
The Lacey Act of 1900, or more commonly The Lacey Act is a conservation law introduced by Iowa Rep. John F. Lacey. Protecting both plants and wildlife by creating civil and criminal penalties for a wide array of violations, the Act most notably prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that...
Amendments of 1981 to treat nonhuman primates as prohibited wildlife species, allowing exemptions for zoos and research facilities. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives but never received a floor vote in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
.
The bill was reintroduced by Rep. Mark Kirk
Mark Kirk
Mark Steven Kirk is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Kirk was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district....
in February 2009 following the widely publicized mauling of Charla Nash by a pet chimpanzee.
Rep. Rob Bishop
Rob Bishop
Robert William "Rob" Bishop is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education, and early career:...
argued against the bill during the floor debate, noting it would cost $4 million annually and do nothing directly to prevent chimpanzee attacks on humans; he also noted such attacks are relatively rare. Twenty states and the District of Columbia already had laws banning primates as pets. On February 23, the House voted 323 to 95 in favor of the bill. The House version would exempt monkey helpers.