neighboring countries, to which the species is likely 
to spread; and 
‘‘(2) species on which there is insufficient infor-
mation to determine the risk category based on 
guidelines issued pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(B). 
‘‘(d) EVALUATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of promulgation of guidelines under 
subsection (b), in consultation with regional panels 
convened under section 1203, States, tribes, and 
other stakeholders, a Federal agency with authority 
over an importation into the United States of a live 
organism of a species not in trade shall screen the 
species in accordance with guidelines promulgated 
under subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) DELEGATION
AND
AUTHORITY.—If no 
agency has authority described in paragraph (1) or 
an agency delegates the screening to the Director 
under subsection (h)— 
‘‘(A) the Director shall screen the orga-
nisms in accordance with subsections (a) and 
(b); and 
‘‘(B) the Director may prohibit the impor-
tation of an organism of a species not in trade 
if the Director determines, based on evaluations 
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consistent with the screening requirements pro-
mulgated under subsection (f), that the species 
has a high or moderate probability of undesir-
able impacts on areas within the boundaries of 
the United States and contiguous areas of 
neighboring countries to which the species may 
spread. 
‘‘(3) MULTIPLE JURISDICTION.—If more than 1 
agency has jurisdiction over the importation of a live 
organism, the agencies shall conduct only 1 screen-
ing process as determined by a memorandum of un-
derstanding consistent with subsection (f), except 
that the Secretary of Agriculture, shall conduct 
screening of organisms imported to be cultured. 
‘‘(e) REQUIREMENTS.—A Federal agency of jurisdic-
tion, or the Director, shall— 
‘‘(1) restrict or prohibit the importation into 
the United States from outside the United States of 
any species that is described in subsection (c)(1); 
‘‘(2) prohibit the importation of any species de-
scribed in subsection (c)(2), unless the importation 
is for the sole purpose of research that is conducted 
in accordance with section 1202(f)(2); and 
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‘‘(3) make a determination under this sub-
section not later than 60 days after receiving a re-
quest for permission to import a live aquatic species. 
‘‘(f) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service shall enter into a 
memorandum of understanding with the heads of 
the agencies of jurisdiction regarding the screening 
requirements contained in this section. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The memorandum of under-
standing shall contain, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) a description of the relationship be-
tween and responsibilities of the agencies of ju-
risdiction, including a process designating a 
lead agency in cases in which multiple agencies 
may have jurisdiction over the screening of an 
aquatic species; 
‘‘(B) the process by which the Director will 
delegate screening duties to and receive delega-
tion from other agencies of jurisdiction; and 
‘‘(C) the process by which agencies of ju-
risdiction will coordinate and share information 
required for the screening process. 
‘‘(g) DELEGATION TO DIRECTOR.—Any agency with 
authority over the planned importation of a live aquatic 
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