To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to protect the cultural practices and livelihoods of producers of Alaska Native handicrafts and marine mammal ivory products, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
Passed SenateReported by Mr. Cruz, with an amendment
Passed Senate (inferred from es version)
Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to protect Alaska Native cultural practices and livelihoods related to handicrafts and marine mammal ivory, defining traditional handicrafts and authentic Alaska Native articles.
Who Benefits and How
- Alaska Native artisans retain rights to create and sell ivory handicrafts
- Cultural traditions of carving, weaving, and crafts are protected
- Economic livelihoods from traditional crafts are preserved
Who Bears the Burden and How
- No new burdens on Alaska Natives
- Clarifies existing exemptions
Key Provisions
- Defines authentic Alaska Native handicrafts and clothing
- Includes walrus, narwhal, and whale ivory
- Covers weaving, carving, stitching, sewing, beading, drawing, painting
- Excludes mass copying devices (pantograph, multiple carvers)
- Artisan must be Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo residing in coastal Alaska
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Protects Alaska Native rights to create and sell handicrafts and marine mammal ivory products.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Protect Alaska Native cultural and economic rights"
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Item made of natural materials produced using traditional handicrafts by coastal Alaska Native
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology