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H. R. 5694 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.
Summary
- Allows Alaska Natives residing on the coasts of the North Pacific or Arctic Ocean to harvest marine mammals, including walrus and whales, for creating and selling traditional handicrafts and clothing.
- Permits the interstate sale of authentic Alaska Native articles of handicrafts and clothing that contain marine mammal ivory, bone, or baleen.
- Allows edible portions of harvested marine mammals to be sold for native consumption or in Alaska Native villages and towns.
- Requires the Secretary of Commerce to consider Indigenous knowledge and demonstrate substantial evidence when establishing regulations to protect depleted marine mammal species or stocks.
- Prohibits States from banning interstate commerce in marine mammal ivory or bone incorporated into authentic Alaska Native handicrafts and clothing.
- Preserves the rights of federally recognized Indian Tribes and maintains government-to-government consultation requirements with indigenous peoples.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Nicholas J. Begich’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $310,813
- TEAMHEALTH EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS $44,901
- PETRO 49, INC $18,931
- ODOM CORP $12,500
- CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION $9,183
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Nicholas J. Begich → · Outside spending →
Actions (9)
- Jun 2, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 588. · house
- Jun 2, 2026 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-674. · house
- May 14, 2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent. · house
- May 14, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- May 14, 2026 Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged · house
- Mar 26, 2026 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Mar 19, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. · house
- Oct 6, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
- Oct 6, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
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Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (2)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Committee action
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Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 6, 2025
Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
June 2, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on October 6, 2025]
A BILL
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Alaska’s Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act” or the “ARTIST Act”.
SEC. 2. ALASKA NATIVE HANDICRAFTS.
Section 101(b) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act Of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1371(b)) is amended to read as follows:
“(b) Exemption for Alaskan Natives.—
“(1) Definitions.—In this subsection:
“(A) Authentic alaska native article of handicrafts and clothing.—The term ‘authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and clothing’ means an item composed wholly, or in some significant respect, of natural materials and that is produced, decorated, or fashioned in the exercise of traditional Alaska Native handicrafts by an Alaska Native who resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast of the North Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean without the use of a pantograph, multiple carvers, or any other mass copying device.
“(B) Marine mammal ivory.—The term ‘marine mammal ivory’ includes a tooth or tusk from a walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) or a species of cetacean.
“(C) Traditional alaska native handicrafts.—The term ‘traditional Alaska Native handicrafts’ includes weaving, carving, stitching, sewing, lacing, beading, drawing, and painting.
“(2) Exemption.—
“(A) In general.—Except as provided in section 109, the provisions of this Act shall not apply with respect to the taking of any marine mammal by any Alaska Native who resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast of the North Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean if such taking—
“(i)(I) is for subsistence purposes; or
“(II) is done for purposes of creating and selling authentic Alaska Native articles of handicrafts and clothing; and
“(ii) in each case, is not accomplished in a wasteful manner.
“(B) Special rules.—
“(i) Interstate commerce of items.—An item presented as an authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and clothing may be sold in interstate commerce only if it comports with the definition provided in paragraph (1)(A).
“(ii) Edible portion of marine mammal.— Any edible portion of a marine mammal taken for the purpose of creating and selling authentic Alaska Native articles of handicrafts and clothing may be sold for native consumption or in a native village or town in Alaska.
“(3) Limitations.—
“(A) In general.—Notwithstanding paragraph (2), if, under this Act, the Secretary determines any species or stock of marine mammal subject to taking by Alaska Natives to be depleted, the Secretary may prescribe regulations upon the taking of such marine mammals by any Alaska Native described in this subsection.
“(B) Content of regulations.—The regulations described in subparagraph (A) may be established with reference to species or stocks, geographical area, the season for taking, or any other factors related to the reason for establishing such regulations and consistent with the purposes of this Act.
“(C) Notice and hearing; removal of regulations.— The regulations described in subparagraph (A) shall be prescribed after notice and hearing required by section 103 of this title and shall be removed as soon as the Secretary determines that the need for their imposition has disappeared.
“(D) Regulations to be supported by substantial evidence.—In promulgating any regulation or making any assessment pursuant to a hearing or proceeding under this subsection or section 117(b)(2), or in making any determination of depletion under this subsection or finding regarding unmitigable adverse impacts under subsection (a)(5) that affects stocks or persons to which this subsection applies, the Secretary shall demonstrate in writing (and make such writing publicly available on the website of the Secretary) that, in consideration of the whole record, including Indigenous knowledge, such regulation, assessment, determination, or finding is supported by substantial evidence.
“(E) Applicability.—The requirement under subparagraph (D) shall only be applicable in an action brought by one or more Alaska Native organizations representing persons to which this subsection applies.
“(4) Prohibitions.—No State shall prohibit the interstate commerce, importation, sale, offer for sale, transfer, trade, barter, possession, or possession with the intent to sell, transfer, trade, or barter of marine mammal ivory or marine mammal bone or baleen incorporated under this title by an Alaska Native, into an authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and clothing.
“(5) Rule of construction.—Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to—
“(A) impact the rights of any Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) in effect on the date of enactment of the Alaska’s Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act; or
“(B) undermine any government-to-government consultation or engagement.”. Union Calendar No. 588
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5694
[Report No. 119-674]
A BILL
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.
June 2, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
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