Sponsors (15)
Introduced September 23, 2025 by Donald Sternoff Beyer · Last progress September 23, 2025
The bill sharply reduces U.S. demand for donkey-derived ejiao products and strengthens enforcement to protect donkey populations, but does so at the cost of economic harm and legal risk to U.S. importers/sellers, expanded enforcement powers and civil‑liberties concerns, and increased enforcement and compliance burdens for governments and communities.
U.S. ban on interstate commerce of ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) reduces U.S. demand that drives global donkey slaughter, protecting donkey populations and overseas livelihoods tied to donkey welfare.
Stronger penalties (civil fines and criminal sanctions) and forfeiture authority create deterrence against illegal trade in donkey hides and ejiao products.
Expanded customs, seizure, inspection, and definition tools (clear legal definitions for 'donkey', 'ejiao', 'taken', etc.) make it easier for authorities to detect and block illicit imports and protect compliant traders.
Importers, retailers, and manufacturers of ejiao and related products (including small businesses and online sellers) will lose revenue, inventory, and possibly jobs, and consumers may face reduced availability or higher prices.
Seizure and forfeiture authority can lead to loss of imported goods, transport equipment, or vessels—even without proof of intent—creating large financial risk for traders and owners.
Criminal penalties combined with a constructive-knowledge (should-have-known) standard and broad venue rules increase the risk that unwitting actors (including small businesses and immigrants) face criminal liability and onerous litigation.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Bans the import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase in U.S. commerce of donkeys, donkey hides, and products containing ejiao and creates civil/criminal penalties, forfeiture, and enforcement rules.
Bans the import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce of donkeys, donkey hides, and any product that contains ejiao (a gelatin derived from donkey skin). It creates civil penalties (up to $10,000 per violation), criminal penalties for knowing violations (with enhanced criminal exposure where goods have market value over $350), and forfeiture rules for animals, hides, products, and conveyances used to commit violations. Enforcement is assigned primarily to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of the Interior, with broad search, seizure, arrest, and inspection authorities and procedures tied to existing customs and criminal law.