IB 

Union Calendar No. 198 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1807 

[Report No. 115–278, Part I] 

To exempt from the Lacey Act and the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 

certain water transfers between any of the States of Texas, Arkansas, 

and Louisiana. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 30, 2017 

Mr. GOHMERT (for himself, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. 

WESTERMAN, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. RATCLIFFE, Mr. HIGGINS of 

Louisiana, Mr. BABIN, and Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 

and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

AUGUST 25, 2017 

Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources 

AUGUST 25, 2017 

The Committee on the Judiciary discharged; committed to the Committee of 

the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
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•HR 1807 RH

A BILL 

To exempt from the Lacey Act and the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 certain water transfers between any of 

the States of Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1807 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Water Supply 

5 Invasive Species Compliance Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN WATER TRANSFERS FROM 

7 THE LACEY ACT AND THE LACEY ACT AMEND8 MENTS OF 1981. 

9 (a) EXEMPTION.—Section 42 of title 18, United 

10 States Code (popularly known as the Lacey Act), and the 

11 Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) 

12 shall not apply with respect to any covered water transfer, 

13 if— 

14 (1)(A) all prohibited species in the water trans15 ferred are located in both of the public water sup16 plies between which the water is transferred; and 

17 (B) the water is transferred directly between 

18 such public water supplies; or 

19 (2) the water is transferred in a closed convey20 ance system directly to treatment facilities where all 

21 prohibited species contained in the water transferred 

22 will be extirpated. 

23 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

24 (1) COVERED WATER TRANSFER.—The term 

25 ‘‘covered water transfer’’ means a transfer between 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
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•HR 1807 RH

1 public water supplies located on, along, or across the 

2 State boundaries between any of Texas, Arkansas, 

3 and Louisiana, of water containing a prohibited spe4 cies. 

5 (2) PROHIBITED SPECIES.—The term ‘‘prohib6 ited species’’ means any species— 

7 (A) the shipment of which is otherwise 

8 prohibited by section 42 of title 18, United 

9 States Code; or 

10 (B) the transfer of which is otherwise pro11 hibited by the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 

12 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.). 

13 (3) PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY.—The term ‘‘public 

14 water supply’’ means any body of water, including 

15 any river, lake, or stream, the water of which is 

16 available or made available to the public. 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS

asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 198 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1807 

[Report No. 115–278, Part I] 

A BILL 

To exempt from the Lacey Act and the Lacey Act 

Louisiana. tween any of the States of Texas, Arkansas, and Amendments of 1981 certain water transfers beAUGUST 25, 2017 

Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources 

AUGUST 25, 2017 

The Committee on the Judiciary discharged; committed 

the Union and ordered to be printed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS