25 USC 3073 - Export prohibitions; export certification system; international agreements

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 3073.

Export prohibitions; export certification system; international agreements

(a)

Export prohibitions

(1)

In general

It shall be unlawful for any person—

(A)

to export, attempt to export, or otherwise transport from the United States any Item Prohibited from Exportation;

(B)

to conspire with any person to engage in an activity described in subparagraph (A); or

(C)

to conceal an activity described in subparagraph (A).

(2)

Penalties

(3)

Detention, forfeiture, and repatriation

(A)

Detention and delivery

The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall—

(i)

detain any Item Prohibited from Exportation that is exported, attempted to be exported, or otherwise transported from the United States in violation of paragraph (1); and

(ii)

deliver the Item Prohibited from Exportation to the Secretary.

(B)

Forfeiture

(C)

Repatriation

Any Item Prohibited from Exportation that is forfeited under subparagraph (B) shall be expeditiously repatriated to the appropriate Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization in accordance with, as applicable—

(i)

the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) (including section 1170 of title 18, as added by that Act); or

(ii)

the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa et seq.).

(b)

Export certification system

(1)

Export certification requirement

(A)

In general

(B)

Publication

The Secretary, in consultation with Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, shall publish in the Federal Register a notice that includes—

(i)

a description of characteristics typical of Items Requiring Export Certification, which shall—

(I)

include the definitions of the terms—

(aa)

“cultural items” in section 2 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001); and

(bb)

“archaeological resource” in section 3 of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470bb);

(II)

describe the provenance requirements associated with the trafficking prohibition applicable to—

(aa)

cultural items under section 1170(b) of title 18; and

(bb)

archaeological resources under subsections (b) and (c) of section 6 of Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470ee);

(III)

(aa)

include the definitions of the terms “Native American” and “Native Hawaiian” in section 2 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001); and

(bb)

describe how those terms apply to archaeological resources under this chapter; and

(IV)

be sufficiently specific and precise to ensure that—

(aa)

an export certification is required only for Items Requiring Export Certification; and

(bb)

fair notice is given to exporters and other persons regarding which items require an export certification under this subsection; and

(ii)

a description of characteristics typical of items that do not qualify as Items Requiring Export Certification and therefore do not require an export certification under this subsection, which shall clarify that—

(I)

an item made solely for commercial purposes is presumed to not qualify as an Item Requiring Export Certification, unless an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization challenges that presumption; and

(II)

in some circumstances, receipts or certifications issued by Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations with a cultural affiliation with an item may be used as evidence to demonstrate a particular item does not qualify as an Item Requiring Export Certification.

(2)

Eligibility for export certification

An Item Requiring Export Certification is eligible for an export certification under this subsection if—

(A)

the Item Requiring Export Certification is not under ongoing Federal investigation;

(B)

the export of the Item Requiring Export Certification would not otherwise violate any other provision of law; and

(C)

the Item Requiring Export Certification—

(i)

is not an Item Prohibited from Exportation;

(ii)

was excavated or removed pursuant to a permit issued under section 4 of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470cc) and in compliance with section 3(c) of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3002(c)), if the permit for excavation or removal authorizes export; or

(iii)

is accompanied by written confirmation from the Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with authority to alienate the Item Requiring Export Certification that—

(I)

the exporter has a right of possession (as defined in section 2 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001)) of the Item Requiring Export Certification; or

(II)

the Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization has relinquished title or control of the Item Requiring Export Certification in accordance with section 3 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3002).

(3)

Export certification application and issuance procedures

(A)

Applications for export certification

(i)

In general

(ii)

Consequences of false statement

Any willful or knowing false statement made on an export certification application form under clause (i) shall—

(I)

subject the exporter to criminal penalties pursuant to section 1001 of title 18; and

(II)

prohibit the exporter from receiving an export certification for any Item Requiring Export Certification in the future unless the exporter submits additional evidence in accordance with subparagraph (B)(iii)(I).

(iii)

Form of export certification application

The Secretary, in consultation with Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, and at the discretion of the Secretary, in consultation with third parties with relevant expertise, including institutions of higher education, museums, dealers, and collector organizations, shall develop an export certification application form, which shall require that an applicant—

(I)

describe, and provide pictures of, each Item Requiring Export Certification that the applicant seeks to export;

(II)

include all available information regarding the provenance of each such Item Requiring Export Certification; and

(III)

include the attestation described in subparagraph (B)(i).

(B)

Evidence

(i)

In general

(ii)

Sufficiency of attestation

(iii)

Additional requirements

(I)

In general

(II)

Delays or denials

The Secretary shall give notice to an exporter that submits an export certification application under subparagraph (A)(i) that the exporter may submit additional evidence in accordance with subclause (III) if the issuance of an export certification is—

(aa)

delayed pursuant to the examination by the Secretary of the eligibility of the Item Requiring Export Certification for an export certification; or

(bb)

denied by the Secretary because the Secretary determined that the Item Requiring Export Certification is not eligible for an export certification under this subsection.

(III)

Additional evidence

(C)

Database applications

(i)

In general

(ii)

Collaboration required

(iii)

Availability

(iv)

Deletion from database

(v)

Technical assistance

(D)

Issuance of export certification

(i)

On receipt of an export certification application for an Item Requiring Export Certification that meets the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B), if the Secretary, in consultation with Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations with a cultural affiliation with the Item Requiring Export Certification, determines that the Item Requiring Export Certification is eligible for an export certification under paragraph (2), the Secretary may issue an export certification for the Item Requiring Export Certification.

(ii)

On receipt of an export certification application for an Item Requiring Export Certification that meets the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B)—

(I)

the Secretary shall have 1 business day to notify the relevant Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations of an application for export of an Item Requiring Export Certification;

(II)

Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations shall have 9 business days to review the export certification application;

(III)

if an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization notifies the Secretary that the Item Requiring Export Certification may not be eligible for an export certification under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall have 7 business days to review the application;

(IV)

if no Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization so notifies the Secretary, the Secretary shall have 1 business day to review the application;

(V)

with notice to the exporter, the Secretary may extend the review of an application for up to 30 business days if credible evidence is provided that the Item Requiring Export Certification may not be eligible for an export certification under paragraph (2); and

(VI)

the Secretary shall make a determination to approve or deny the export certification application within the time allotted.

(E)

Revocation of export certification

(i)

In general

(ii)

Determination

(4)

Detention, forfeiture, repatriation, and return

(A)

Detention and delivery

The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall—

(i)

detain any Item Requiring Export Certification that an exporter attempts to export or otherwise transport without an export certification; and

(ii)

deliver the Item Requiring Export Certification to the Secretary, for seizure by the Secretary.

(B)

Forfeiture

(C)

Repatriation or return to exporter

(i)

In general

(ii)

Repatriation

If an Item Requiring Export Certification is determined by the Secretary to be an Item Prohibited from Exportation and is forfeited under subparagraph (B), the item shall be expeditiously repatriated to the appropriate Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization in accordance with, as applicable—

(I)

the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) (including section 1170 of title 18, as added by that Act); or

(II)

the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa et seq.).

(iii)

Return to exporter

(I)

In general

(II)

Effect

(5)

Penalties

(A)

Items requiring export certification

(i)

In general

(ii)

Penalties

Except as provided in subparagraph (D), any person who violates clause (i) shall be—

(I)

assessed a civil penalty in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary promulgates pursuant to section 3078 of this title; and

(II)

subject to any other applicable penalties under this chapter.

(B)

Items prohibited from exportation

(C)

Use of fines collected

Any amounts collected by the Secretary as a civil penalty under subparagraph (A)(ii)(I) or (B) shall be credited to the currently applicable appropriation, account, or fund of the Department of the Interior as discretionary offsetting collections and shall be available only to the extent and in the amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts—

(i)

to process export certification applications under this subsection; and

(ii)

to store and repatriate the Item Prohibited from Exportation.

(D)

Voluntary return

(i)

In general

(ii)

Actions not commencing a Federal investigation

For purposes of clause (i), the following actions shall not be considered to be actions that commence an active Federal investigation:

(I)

The submission by the exporter of an export certification application for the Item Requiring Export Certification under paragraph (3)(A)(i).

(II)

The detention of the Item Requiring Export Certification by the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under paragraph (4)(A)(i).

(III)

The delivery to the Secretary of the Item Requiring Export Certification by the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under paragraph (4)(A)(ii).

(IV)

The seizure by the Secretary of the Item Requiring Export Certification under paragraph (4)(A)(ii).

(6)

Fees

(A)

In general

(B)

Availability of amounts collected

(7)

Administrative appeal

(8)

Training

(A)

In general

(B)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection training

(C)

Consultation

(c)

Agreements to request return from foreign countries

The President may request from foreign nations agreements that specify concrete measures that the foreign nation will carry out—

(1)

to discourage commerce in, and collection of, Items Prohibited from Exportation;

(2)

to encourage the voluntary return of tangible cultural heritage; and

(3)

to expand the market for the products of Indian art and craftsmanship in accordance with section 305a of this title.

(Pub. L. 117–258, § 5, Dec. 21, 2022, 136 Stat. 2374.)

cite as: 25 USC 3073