From SSI@ucsusa.org Sun Mar 23 12:00:49 2003
Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2003 11:23:40 -0500
From: SSI Mailbox 
Subject: SSI Notice: Aquatic Invasive Species Bills Introduced

***************** SSI SPECIAL NOTICE ******************

This SSI Notice serves to inform you that on March 5, 2003, 
a bipartisan group of congressional members introduced bills 
into both houses to reauthorize the National Invasive 
Species Act (NISA) of 1996 -- now to be called the National 
Aquatic Invasive Species Act (NAISA). 

[As you may recall from an SSI Notice you received last 
September, NAISA was introduced in the 107th Congress, too. 
Unfortunately, the bills did not pass during that session, 
and therefore died.]

Two separate bills were introduced in the House. Reps. Wayne 
Gilcrest (R-1st/MD), Vernon Ehlers (R-3rd/MI), Brian Baird 
(D-3rd/WA), Peter Hoekstra (R-2nd/MI), Solomon Ortiz (D-
27th/TX), and Judy Biggert (R-13th/IL) introduced the 
broader portion (National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 
2003, H.R. 1080). The same six members introduced H.R. 
1081, a NAISA research bill (Aquatic Invasive Species 
Research Act), with Rep. Vernon Ehlers taking the lead. 
There were a total of 68 original co-sponsors for H.R. 1080, 
and 69 for H.R. 1081. On the Senate side, there was one bill 
(S. 525) that included all relevant provisions. Sens. Carl 
Levin (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) served as the lead 
Senate sponsors, with 14 additional co-sponsors. A list of 
these original co-sponsors is below.

The number of original co-sponsors is significantly higher 
than when the bills were introduced last fall - there were 
37 House and 13 Senate co-sponsors. The increased numbers 
are attributable to scientists' and other activists' efforts 
and we appreciate your help. If your Senators or 
Representative are on the list of original co-sponsors, 
consider thanking them for their leadership, asking both for 
their continued support as the bills move forward and also 
for the appropriations to implement them if they pass. 

UCS has been active in developing the content of the 
legislation, and continues to work for stronger or better 
language in a few sections. The bills now must be passed in 
the relevant House and Senate subcommittees and committees, 
and then by the full House and Senate. There may be large 
issues to be resolved, contentious debates, or proposals to 
weaken the bills' texts. The current level of congressional 
support, however, bodes well. SSI is closely monitoring this 
legislation, and will notify you if there are points in the 
process where scientists' voices would be particularly 
important to the bills' passage.


*** THE BILLS' ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS ***

Senate (alphabetically by state abbreviation): 
Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Richard Durbin 
(D-IL), Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Edward 
Kennedy (D-MA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Carl Levin (D-MI), 
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mike DeWine (R-OH), George Voinovich 
(R-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), John Warner (R-VA), James Jeffords 
(I-VT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Representatives (in order of state abbreviation) who were 
original co-sponsors for H.R. 1080:
Eni Faleomavaega (D/AS), Howard Berman (D-26th/CA), Sam Farr 
(D-17th/CA), Michael Honda (D-15th/CA), Barbara Lee (D-
9th/CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-16th/CA), George Miller (D-7th/CA), 
Robert Simmons (R-2nd/CT), Madeleine Bordallo (D/GU), Neil 
Abercrombie (D-1st/HI), Ed Case (D-2nd/HI), Jim Leach (R-
1st/IA), Judy Biggert (R-13th/IL), Rahm Emanuel (D-5th/IL), 
Lane Evans (D-17th/IL), Mark Kirk (R-10th/IL), William 
Lipinski (D-3rd/IL), Peter Visclosky (D-1st/IN), William 
Delahunt (D-10th/MA), Edward Markey (D-7th/MA), James 
McGovern (D-3rd/MA), Richard Neal (D-2nd/MA), Benjamin 
Cardin (D-3rd/MD), Elijah Cummings (D-7th/MD), Wayne 
Gilcrest (R-1st/MD), Thomas Allen (D-1st/ME), Dave Camp (R-
4th/MI), John Dingell (D-16th/MI), Vernon Ehlers (R-3rd/MI), 
Peter Hoekstra (R-2nd/MI), Dale Kildee (D-9th/MI), Joseph 
Knollenberg (R-11th/MI), Sander Levin (D-12th/MI), Thaddeus 
McCotter (R-11th/MI), Candice Miller (R-10th/MI), Michael 
Rogers (R-8th/MI), Nick Smith (R-7th/MI), Bart Stupak (D-
1st/MI), Fred Upton (R-6th/MI), Betty McCollum (D-4th/MN), 
Frank Pallone (D-6th/NJ), Jim Saxton (R-3rd/NJ), Sherwood 
Boehlert (R-23rd/NY), Amory Houghton (R-31st/NY), John 
McHugh (R-24th/NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-14th/NY), Jack Quinn 
(R-30th/NY), Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-28th/NY), Edolphus 
Towns (D-10th/NY), James Walsh (R-25th/NY), Anthony Weiner 
(D-9th/NY), Sherrod Brown (D-13th/OH), Paul Gillmor (R-
5th/OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-9th/OH), Steven LaTourette (R-
19th/OH), Earl Blumenauer (D-3rd/OR), Philip English (R-
21st/PA), Jim Greenwood (R-8th/PA), Solomon Ortiz (D-
27th/TX), Bobby Scott (D-3rd/VA), Brian Baird (D-3rd/WA), 
Norman Dicks (D-6th/WA), Jay Inslee (D-1st/WA), Jim 
McDermott (D-7th/WA), Adam Smith (D-9th/WA), Tammy Baldwin 
(D-2nd/WI), Ron Kind (D-3rd/WI), and Jerry Kleczka (D-
4th/WI).

For H.R. 1081, all of the above Representatives signed on, 
plus: Timothy Johnson (R-15th/IL)


*** SUGGESTED FURTHER ACTION ***
If you should come across an article related to NAISA in 
your local or regional newspaper, and you are so inclined, a 
letter to the editor (LTE) would be helpful at this stage in 
the bills' development. Your letter could, for example, 
thank supportive legislators, call for additional support 
from local legislators, and/or help the public understand 
the issue better. For tips on effective LTE writing, see: < 
http://www.ucsusa.org/ssi/resources/page.cfm?pageID=956 >.


*** FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ***

To see the actual wording of the bills when they are available 
for viewing, go to the following Library of Congress web site:
< http://thomas.loc.gov > and enter the House or Senate 
bill numbers.

For an electronic copy of past SSI pieces related to 
NISA/NAISA, send an email to < ssi@ucsusa.org >:
- SSI Update: National Invasive Species Act (Aug. 1, 2002)
- SSI Notice: Aquatic Invasive Species Bills Introduced 
(Sept. 19, 2002)
- SSI Update: Invasives Policy 2002 Wrap-up (Dec. 20, 2002)
- SSI Alert: Congressional Co-sponsors Needed for Aquatic 
Invasives Bills (Feb. 3, 2003)
- SSI Alert: DEADLINE EXTENDED-Co-sponsors Needed for 
Invasives Bills (Feb. 11, 2003)

*******************************************
[This SSI Notice may not be reprinted or posted to 
electronic networks without permission and acknowledgement.]

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THE SOUND SCIENCE INITIATIVE
This SSI Notice was prepared for and distributed to UCS' 
Sound Science Initiative (SSI). SSI is an effective email-
based vehicle for scientists to familiarize themselves and 
the public with environmental issues of global significance, 
with a special focus on climate change and loss of 
biological diversity. SSI also provides the tools for 
individuals to respond to and influence fast-breaking media 
and policy developments. 

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learn more about or join SSI, please visit our website at:
< http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/invasive_species/page.cfm?pageID=1101 >, or email us at < ssi@ucsusa.org >.

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