YourVoice.Now Summary
Repeats the ARTIST Act, already law since June 2026 — it protects sales of Alaska Native ivory and bone crafts.
The details
Most people would see no change from this bill, because its words are already law. In June 2026 the same text became law as the Senate's ARTIST Act (S. 254, Public Law 119-99). This House bill would rewrite one part of the Marine Mammal Protection Act to say exactly what it already says. Under that law, Alaska Natives who live on the coast may hunt walrus, whales, and other marine mammals for food. They may also hunt them to make and sell traditional crafts and clothing, as long as the hunt is not wasteful. States may not ban selling or owning these crafts when they hold walrus or whale ivory, marine mammal bone, or baleen (whale mouth plates). To count, a piece must be made by an Alaska Native by hand, not mass-copied. If too few animals of a kind are left, the government may limit the hunt. It must first show in writing, on its website, that enough evidence backs the limit, counting Indigenous knowledge. Only Alaska Native groups can sue to enforce that written-proof rule.
Congressional Summary
Congress's official summary of this bill still describes an earlier version of the text, so we have left it out here. You can read it on Congress.gov.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to House
- Action Date
- 2026-06-02
- Date Added
- 2026-04-09
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.