In committee
Ejiao Act of 2025
This bill bans importing, exporting, buying, selling, or transporting donkeys, donkey skins, or any products containing ejiao, a gelatin made from donkey hides used in cosmetics and traditional medicine. Anyone who violates the ban faces civil fines of up to $10,000 per offense, potential criminal penalties of up to a year in prison, and the forfeiture of their merchandise and transport equipment. Convicted violators are also required to cover the housing and medical costs for any seized live donkeys, while members of the public can receive financial rewards for reporting violations.
People affected—not determinable from the text provided
Fiscal magnitude—no CBO estimate published
Reach28provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Sentencing & corrections−20Animal protection+45Trade & tariffs−25
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Whistleblowers and tipstersEligible to receive financial rewards from federal enforcement agencies for furnishing information leading to an arrest, criminal conviction, civil penalty assessment, or property forfeiture under the Act (Sec. 6(d)(1)(A)).
- Animal care providers for seized donkeysReimbursed for reasonable and necessary costs incurred while housing and providing temporary care for seized live donkeys pending legal proceedings (Sec. 6(d)(1)(B)).
Who it burdens
- Traders and retailers of ejiao and donkey productsProhibited from importing, exporting, transporting, selling, acquiring, or purchasing donkeys or donkey hides (for ejiao production) or products containing ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce, and face civil fines up to $10,000, criminal penalties up to one year in prison, and forfeiture of goods and transport equipment (Sec. 3, Sec. 4, Sec. 5).
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Department of the InteriorGranted enforcement authority, including conducting border inspections, demanding origin documentation, carrying firearms, making arrests, executing warrants, assessing civil penalties, and managing seized property (Sec. 4(a), Sec. 6(a)-(b)).
Who backs it
- Penalized violators of the ActMust pay civil penalties, criminal fines, forfeiture proceeds, and storage and care expenses for seized items, which directly finance informant rewards and donkey temporary care costs (Sec. 4(a), Sec. 4(c), Sec. 5(c), Sec. 6(d)(1)).