From SSI@ucsusa.org Sun Mar 23 12:00:49 2003 Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2003 11:23:40 -0500 From: SSI MailboxSubject: 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.] CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS: Help us keep you posted! If your email address will soon change, or if you'd like us to use a different address, please let us know by sending a message to < ssi@ucsusa.org > with your new email address. Thanks! 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. Membership in SSI is open to professionals and graduate students in the physical, natural, and social sciences. To 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 >. THE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS The Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit partnership of scientists and citizens combining rigorous scientific analysis, innovative policy development, and effective citizen advocacy to achieve practical environmental solutions. To learn more about UCS, please visit us on the web at: < http://www.ucsusa.org >.