I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 260 
To establish marine and freshwater research, development, and demonstration 
programs to support efforts to prevent, control, and eradicate invasive 
species, as well as to educate citizens and stakeholders and restore 
ecosystems. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 5, 2007 
Mr. EHLERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and House Ad-
ministration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish marine and freshwater research, development, 
and demonstration programs to support efforts to pre-
vent, control, and eradicate invasive species, as well as 
to educate citizens and stakeholders and restore eco-
systems. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Aquatic Invasive Spe-
cies Research Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Aquatic invasive species damage infrastruc-
ture, disrupt commerce, outcompete native species, 
reduce biodiversity, and threaten human health. 
(2) The direct and indirect costs of aquatic 
invasive species to our Nation’s economy number in 
the billions of dollars per year. 
(3) Recent studies have shown that, in addition 
to economic damage, invasive species cause enor-
mous environmental damage, and have cited invasive 
species as the second leading threat to endangered 
species. 
(4) Over the past 200 years, the rate of de-
tected marine and freshwater invasions in North 
America has increased exponentially. 
(5) The rate of invasions continues to grow 
each year. 
(6) Marine and freshwater research underlies 
every aspect of detecting, preventing, controlling, 
and eradicating invasive species, educating citizens 
and stakeholders, and restoring ecosystems. 
(7) Current Federal efforts, including research 
efforts, have focused primarily on controlling estab-
lished invasive species, which is both costly and often 
unsuccessful. An emphasis on research, development, 
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and demonstration to support efforts to prevent 
invasive species or eradicate them upon entry into 
United States waters would likely result in a more 
cost-effective and successful approach to combating 
invasive species through preventing initial introduc-
tion. 
(8) Research, development, and demonstration 
to support prevention and eradication includes moni-
toring of both pathways and ecosystems to track the 
introduction and establishment of nonnative species, 
and development and testing of technologies to pre-
vent introduction through known pathways. 
(9) Therefore, Congress finds that it is in the 
United States interest to conduct a comprehensive 
and thorough research, development, and demonstra-
tion program on aquatic invasive species in order to 
better understand how aquatic invasive species are 
introduced and become established and to support 
efforts to prevent the introduction and establishment 
of, and to eradicate, these species. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTERING AGENCIES.—The term ‘‘ad-
ministering agencies’’ means— 
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(A) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (including the Great Lakes En-
vironmental Research Laboratory); 
(B) the Smithsonian Institution (acting 
through the Smithsonian Environmental Re-
search Center); and 
(C) the United States Geological Survey. 
(2) AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM.—The term ‘‘aquatic 
ecosystem’’ means a freshwater, marine, or estuarine 
environment (including inland waters, riparian 
areas, and wetlands) located in the United States. 
(3) BALLAST
WATER.—The term ‘‘ballast 
water’’ means any water (with its suspended matter) 
used to maintain the trim and stability of a vessel. 
(4) INVASION.—The term ‘‘invasion’’ means the 
introduction and establishment of an invasive species 
into an ecosystem beyond its historic range. 
(5) INVASIVE
SPECIES.—The term ‘‘invasive 
species’’ means a species— 
(A) that is nonnative to the ecosystem 
under consideration; and 
(B) whose introduction causes or may 
cause harm to the economy, the environment, or 
human health. 
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(6) INVASIVE
SPECIES
COUNCIL.—The term 
‘‘Invasive Species Council’’ means the council estab-
lished by section 3 of Executive Order No. 13112 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 note). 
(7) PATHWAY.—The term ‘‘pathway’’ means 1 
or more routes by which an invasive species is trans-
ferred from one ecosystem to another. 
(8) SPECIES.—The term ‘‘species’’ means any 
fundamental category of taxonomic classification or 
any viable biological material ranking below a genus 
or subgenus. 
(9) TASK
FORCE.—The term ‘‘Task Force’’ 
means the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force es-
tablished by section 1201(a) of the Nonindigenous 
Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 
1990 (16 U.S.C. 4721(a)). 
(10) TYPE
APPROVAL.—The term ‘‘type ap-
proval’’ means an approval procedure under which a 
type of system is certified as meeting a standard es-
tablished pursuant to Federal law for a particular 
application. 
SEC. 4. COORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION. 
(a) COORDINATION.—In carrying out this Act, the 
administering agencies shall coordinate with— 
(1) appropriate State agencies; 
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