I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1081
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 
MARCH 5, 2003
Mr. EHLERS (for himself, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. 
ORTIZ, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. KIRK, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. CAMP, Mr. MCHUGH, 
Mr. EMANUEL, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. ROGERS
of Michigan, Mr. 
ENGLISH, Mr. FARR, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. 
SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. QUINN, Mr. SMITH of Wash-
ington, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. DIN-
GELL, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. LEE, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. DICKS, Ms. BORDALLO, 
Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. WALSH, Mr. UPTON, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. SMITH of 
Michigan, Mr. CASE, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. GREEN-
WOOD, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. 
ALLEN, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. 
HOUGHTON, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCCOTTER, Ms. 
BALDWIN, Mr. LEACH, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, 
Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. HONDA, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. 
WEINER, Mr. KIND, Mr. EVANS, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, 
Mr. 
KLECZKA, 
Mr. 
SIMMONS, 
Mr. 
FALEOMAVAEGA, 
and 
Mr. 
LATOURETTE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committees on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure, Resources, and House Administration, 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 com-
mittee 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’’. 
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. In the Great Lakes 
region, approximately $3,000,000,000 dollars have 
been spent in the past 10 years to mitigate the dam-
age caused by one invasive species, the zebra mussel. 
(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, 
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— 
(A) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (including the Great Lakes En-
vironmental Research Laboratory); 
(B) 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 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. 
(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. CONSULTATION AND COOPERATION. 
(a) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.—The ad-
ministering agencies shall enter into a memorandum of 
understanding regarding implementation of this Act. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this Act, the 
administering agencies shall consult with—
(1) the Task Force and Invasive Species Coun-
cil; 
(2) the Environmental Protection Agency; and 
(3) other appropriate Federal and State agen-
cies. 
(c) COOPERATION.—In carrying out this Act, the ad-
ministering agencies shall contract, as appropriate, or oth-
erwise cooperate with academic researchers. 
SEC. 5. ECOLOGICAL AND PATHWAY RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The administering agencies shall 
develop and conduct a marine and fresh-water research 
program which shall include ecological and pathway sur-
veys and experimentation to detect nonnative aquatic spe-
cies in aquatic ecosystems and to assess rates and patterns 
of introductions of nonnative aquatic species in aquatic 
ecosystems. The goal of this marine and freshwater re-
search program shall be to support efforts to prevent the 
introduction of, detect, and eradicate invasive species 
through informing early detection and rapid response ef-
forts, informing relevant policy decisions, and assessing 
the effectiveness of implemented policies to prevent the in-
troduction and spread of aquatic invasive species. Surveys 
and experiments under this subsection shall be commenced 
not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(b) PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT.—The administering 
agencies shall establish standardized protocols for con-
ducting ecological and pathway surveys of nonnative 
aquatic species that are integrated and produce com-
parable data, and shall recommend a standardized ap-
proach for classifying species. For ecological surveys, two 
protocols shall be developed, one to support early detection 
surveys that may be conducted by Federal, State, or local 
agencies involved in the management of invasive species, 
and a second protocol to support the surveys conducted 
under subsection (a). Protocols shall, as practicable, be in-
tegrated with existing protocols and data collection meth-
ods. Upon the development of protocols to support early 
detection surveys, the Task Force shall make appropriate 
efforts to disseminate the protocols to appropriate Fed-
eral, State, and local entities. In developing the protocols 
under this subsection, the administering agencies shall 
draw on the recommendations gathered at the workshop 
under subsection (g). The protocols shall be peer reviewed, 
and revised as necessary. Protocols shall be completed 
within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) ECOLOGICAL AND PATHWAY SURVEY REQUIRE-
MENTS.—(1) Each ecological survey conducted under sub-
section (a) shall, at a minimum—
(A) document baseline ecological information of 
the aquatic ecosystem including, to the extent prac-
ticable, a comprehensive inventory of native species, 
nonnative species, and species of unknown origin 
present in the ecosystem, as well as the chemical 
and physical characteristics of the water and under-
lying substrate; 
(B) for nonnative species, gather information to 
assist in identifying their life history, environmental 
requirements and tolerances, the historic range of 
their native ecosystems, and their history of spread-
ing from their native ecosystems;
(C) track the establishment of nonnative species 
including information about the estimated popu-
lation of nonnative organisms in order to allow an 
analysis of the probable date of introduction of the 
species; and 
(D) identify the likely pathway of entry of non-
native species. 
(2) Each pathway survey conducted under this sec-
tion shall, at a minimum—
(A) identify what nonnative aquatic species are 
being introduced or may be introduced through the 
pathways under consideration; 
(B) determine the quantities of organisms being 
introduced through the pathways under consider-
ation; and 
(C) determine the practices that contributed to 
or could contribute to the introduction of nonnative 
aquatic species through the pathway under consider-
ation. 
(d) NUMBER AND LOCATION OF SURVEY SITES.—
The administering agencies shall designate the number 
and location of survey sites necessary to carry out marine 
and freshwater research required under this section. In 
establishing sites under this subsection or subsection (e), 
emphasis shall be on the geographic diversity of sites, as
well as the diversity of the human uses and biological char-
acteristics of sites. 
(e) COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.—The admin-
istering agencies (acting through the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration) shall administer a pro-
gram to award grants to academic institutions, State 
agencies, and other appropriate groups, in order to assist
in carrying out subsections (b) and (h). This program 
shall be competitive, peer-reviewed, and merit-based. 
(f) 
SHIP
PATHWAY
SURVEYS.—Section 
1102(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance 
Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 
4712(b)(2)(B)(ii)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(ii) examine other potential modes 
for the introduction of nonnative aquatic 
species by ship, including hull fouling.’’. 
(g) WORKSHOP.—In order to support the develop-
ment of the protocols and design for the surveys under 
subsections (b) and (c), the administering agencies shall 
convene a workshop with appropriate researchers from 
Federal and State agencies and academic institutions to 
gather recommendations. The administering agencies shall 
make the results of the workshop widely available to the 
public. The workshop shall be held within 120 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(h) EXPERIMENTATION.—The administering agen-
cies shall conduct laboratory and field-based marine and 
freshwater research experiments on a range of taxonomic 
groups to identify the relationship between the introduc-
tion and establishment of nonnative aquatic species, in-
cluding those legally introduced, and the circumstances 
necessary for those species to survive and thrive. 
(i) NATIONAL PATHWAY AND ECOLOGICAL SURVEYS 
DATABASE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The United States Geologi-
cal Survey shall develop, maintain, and update, in 
consultation and cooperation with the Smithsonian 
Environmental Research Center, the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Task 
Force, a central, national database of information 
concerning information collected under this section. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The database shall—
(A) be widely available to the public; 
(B) be updated not less than once a quar-
ter; 
(C) be coordinated with existing databases 
collecting similar information; and 
(D) be, to the maximum extent practicable, 
formatted such that the data is useful for both
researchers and Federal and State employees 
managing relevant invasive species programs. 
SEC. 6. ANALYSIS. 
(a) INVASION ANALYSIS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every year 
thereafter, the administering agencies shall analyze 
data collected under section 5 and other relevant re-
search on the rates and patterns of invasions by 
aquatic invasive species in waters of the United 
States. The purpose of this analysis shall be to use 
the data collected under section 5 and other relevant 
research to support efforts to prevent the introduc-
tion of, detect, and eradicate invasive species 
through informing early detection and rapid re-
sponse efforts, informing relevant policy decisions, 
and assessing the effectiveness of implemented poli-
cies to prevent the introduction and spread of 
invasive species. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The analysis required under 
paragraph (1) shall include with respect to aquatic 
invasive species—
(A) an analysis of pathways, including—
(i) identifying, and characterizing as 
high, medium, or low risk, pathways re-
gionally and nationally; 
(ii) identifying new and expanding 
pathways; 
(iii) identifying handling practices 
that contribute to the introduction of spe-
cies in pathways; and 
(iv) assessing the risk that species le-
gally introduced into the United States 
pose for introduction into aquatic eco-
systems; 
(B) patterns and rates of invasion and sus-
ceptibility to invasion of various bodies of 
water; 
(C) how the risk of establishment through 
a pathway is related to the identity and number 
of organisms transported; 
(D) rates of spread and numbers and types 
of pathways of spread of new populations of the 
aquatic invasive species and an estimation of 
the potential spread and distribution of newly 
introduced invasive species based on their envi-
ronmental requirements and historical distribu-
tion;
(E) documentation of factors that influ-
ence an ecosystem’s vulnerability to a nonnative 
aquatic species becoming invasive; 
(F) a description of the potential for, and 
impacts of, pathway management programs on 
invasion rates; 
(G) recommendations for improvements in 
the effectiveness of pathway management; 
(H) to the extent practical, a determina-
tion of the level of reduction in live organisms 
of various taxonomic groups required to reduce 
the risk of establishment to receiving aquatic 
ecosystems to an acceptable level; and 
(I) an evaluation of the effectiveness of 
management actions (including any standard) 
at reducing species introductions and establish-
ment. 
(c) RESEARCH TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL OF THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF INTRODUCED SPECIES.—Within 2 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the ad-
ministering agencies shall develop a profile, based on the 
general characteristics of invasive species and vulnerable 
ecosystems, in order to predict, to the extent practical, 
whether a species planned for importation is likely to in-
vade a particular aquatic ecosystem if introduced. In de-
veloping the profile, the above agencies shall analyze the 
research conducted under section 5, and other research 
as necessary, to determine general species and ecosystem 
characteristics (taking into account the opportunity for in-
troduction into any ecosystem) and circumstances that can 
lead to establishment. Based on the profile, the Task 
Force shall make recommendations to the Invasive Species 
Council as to what planned importations of nonnative 
aquatic organisms should be restricted. This profile shall 
be peer-reviewed.
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for carrying out this sec-
tion and section 5 of this Act, and section 1102(b)(2) of 
the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Con-
trol Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4712(b)(2)) for each of the 
fiscal years 2004 through 2008—
(1) $4,000,000 for the Smithsonian Environ-
mental Research Center; 
(2) $4,500,000 for the United States Geological 
Survey, of which $500,000 shall be for developing, 
maintaining, and updating the database under sec-
tion 5(i); and 
(3) $17,000,000 for the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, of which $13,000,000 
shall be for the grant program under section 5(e).
SEC. 7. DISSEMINATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Invasive Species Council, in 
coordination with the Task Force and the administering 
agencies, shall be responsible for disseminating the infor-
mation collected under this Act to Federal, State, and 
local entities, including relevant policymakers, and private 
researchers with responsibility over or interest in aquatic 
invasive species. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Invasive 
Species Council shall report actions and findings under 
section 6 to the Congress, and shall update this report 
once every 3 years thereafter, or more often as necessary. 
(c) RESPONSE STRATEGY.—The Invasive Species 
Council, in coordination with the Task Force, the admin-
istering agencies, and other appropriate Federal and State 
agencies, shall develop and implement a national strategy 
for how information collected under this Act will be shared 
with Federal, State, and local entities with responsibility 
for determining response to the introduction of potentially 
harmful nonnative aquatic species, to enable those entities 
to better and more rapidly respond to such introductions. 
(d) PATHWAY PRACTICES.—The Invasive Species 
Council, in coordination with the Task Force and the ad-
ministering agencies, shall disseminate information to, 
and develop an ongoing educational program for, pathway
users (including vendors and customers) on how their 
practices could be modified to prevent the intentional or 
unintentional introduction of nonnative aquatic species 
into aquatic ecosystems.
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for each of the fiscal 
years 2004 through 2008 $500,000 for the Invasive Spe-
cies Council for carrying out this section. 
SEC. 8. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, 
AND VERIFICATION. 
(a) ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGY DE-
VELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, AND VERIFICATION.—
(1) GRANT PROGRAM.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the En-
vironmental Protection Agency, acting through the 
Office of Research and Development, in consultation 
with the Army Corps of Engineers and the admin-
istering agencies, shall develop and begin admin-
istering a grant program to fund research, develop-
ment, demonstration, and verification of environ-
mentally sound cost-effective technologies and meth-
ods to control and eradicate aquatic invasive species. 
(2) PURPOSES.—Proposals funded under this 
subsection shall—
(A) seek to support Federal, State, or local 
officials’ ongoing efforts to control and eradi-
cate aquatic invasive species in an environ-
mentally sound manner; 
(B) increase the number of environ-
mentally sound technologies or methods Fed-
eral, State, or local officials may use to control 
or eradicate aquatic invasive species; 
(C) provide for demonstration or dissemi-
nation of the technology or method to potential 
end-users; and 
(D) verify that any technology or method 
meets any appropriate criteria developed for ef-
fectiveness and environmental soundness by the 
Environmental Protection Agency. 
(3) PREFERENCE.—The Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency shall give pref-
erence to proposals that will likely meet any appro-
priate criteria developed for environmental sound-
ness by the Environmental Protection Agency. 
(4) MERIT REVIEW.—Grants shall be awarded 
under this subsection through a competitive, peer-re-
viewed, merit-based process. 
(5) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency shall pre-
pare and submit a report to Congress on the pro-
gram conducted under this subsection. The report 
shall include findings and recommendations of the 
Administrator with regard to technologies and meth-
ods. 
(b) DISPERSAL BARRIER RESEARCH PROGRAM.—
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for the 
Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the Fish and 
Wildlife Service and other appropriate Federal agencies 
and academic researchers, shall establish a research, de-
velopment, and demonstration program to study environ-
mentally sound methods and technologies to reduce dis-
persal of aquatic invasive species through interbasin wa-
terways and assess the potential for using those methods 
and technologies in other waterways. 
(c) SHIP
PATHWAY
TECHNOLOGY
DEMONSTRA-
TION.—
(1) REAUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAM.—Section 
1301(e) of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance 
Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 
4741(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘$2,500,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$7,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2004 through 2008’’.
(2) EXPANSION OF PROGRAM.—Section 1104(b) 
of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention 
and Control Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4714(b)) is 
amended—
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and 
(5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the 
following new paragraph:
‘‘(4) ADDITIONAL
PURPOSES.—The Secretary 
of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce may 
also demonstrate and verify technologies under this 
subsection to monitor and control pathways of orga-
nism transport on ships other than through ballast 
water.’’. 
(3) CRITERIA AND WORKSHOP.—Section 1104 
of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention 
and Control Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4714) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsections: 
‘‘(d) CRITERIA.—When issuing grants under this sec-
tion, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion shall give preference to those technologies that will 
likely meet the criteria laid out in any testing protocol de-
veloped by the Environmental Protection Agency Office of
Research and Development’s Environmental Technology 
Verification Program. 
‘‘(e) WORKSHOP.—The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration shall hold an annual workshop of 
principal investigators funded under this section and re-
searchers conducting research directly related to ship 
pathway technology development, for information ex-
change, and shall make the proceedings widely available 
to the public.’’. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for each of the fiscal 
years 2004 through 2008—
(1) $2,500,000 for the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency to carry out subsection (a); and 
(2) $1,000,000 for the Army Corps of Engi-
neers to carry out subsection (b). 
SEC. 9. RESEARCH TO SUPPORT THE SETTING AND IMPLE-
MENTATION OF SHIP PATHWAY STANDARDS. 
(a) RESEARCH PROGRAM.—The Coast Guard and the 
Environmental Protection Agency, in coordination with 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
the Task Force, and other appropriate Federal agencies 
and academic researchers, shall develop a coordinated re-
search program to support the promulgation and imple-
mentation of standards to prevent the introduction and 
spread of invasive species by ships that shall include—
(1) characterizing physical, chemical, and bio-
logical harbor conditions relevant to ballast dis-
charge into United States waters to inform the de-
sign and implementation of ship vector control tech-
nologies and practices; 
(2) developing testing protocols for determining 
the effectiveness of vector monitoring and control 
technologies and practices;
(3) researching and demonstrating methods for 
mitigating the spread of invasive species by coastal 
voyages, including exploring the effectiveness of al-
ternative exchange zones in the near coastal areas 
and other methods proposed to reduce transfers of 
organisms; 
(4) verifying the practical effectiveness of any 
type approval process to ensure that the process pro-
duces repeatable and accurate assessments of treat-
ment effectiveness; and 
(5) evaluating the effectiveness and residual 
risk and environmental impacts associated with any 
standard set with respect to the ship pathway 
through experimental research.
(b) PERFORMANCE TEST.—Within 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Coast Guard, in 
conjunction with the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology and the Maritime Administration, shall design 
a performance test for ballast water exchange such as a 
dye study to measure the effectiveness of ballast water ex-
change. 
(c) NATIONAL ACADEMY STUDY.—The Secretary of 
the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating 
shall enter into an arrangement with the National Acad-
emy of Sciences under which the Academy shall—
(1) identify the relative risk of transfer of var-
ious taxonomic groups by different ship modes; 
(2) assess the extent to which a ballast water 
standard that virtually eliminates the risk of intro-
duction of invasive species by ballast water may re-
late to the risk of introductions by all ship modes, 
and explain the degree of uncertainty in such assess-
ment; and 
(3) recommend methods for reducing organism 
transfers by ships by addressing all parts and sys-
tems of ships and all related modes of transport of 
invasive species, and identify the research, develop-
ment, and demonstration needed to improve the in-
formation base to support such methods, including 
economic information. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of the Department in which the 
Coast Guard is operating shall transmit to the Congress 
a report on the results of the study under this subsection. 
(d) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than the later of 
1 year after the date of submission of the report under 
subsection (c), or 3 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Task Force, in conjunction with the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, the administering agencies, 
and other appropriate Federal and State agencies and aca-
demic researchers, shall submit to the Coast Guard a re-
port that describes recommendations for—
(1) a ship pathway treatment standard that in-
corporates all potential modes of transfer by ships; 
and 
(2) methods for type approval and accurate 
monitoring of treatment performance that are simple 
and streamlined and follow established protocols. 
(e) WORKING GROUP.—Not later than 2 years after 
the issuance by the Coast Guard of any standard relating 
to the introduction by ships of invasive species, the Coast 
Guard shall convene a working group including the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, the administering agencies,
and other appropriate Federal and State agencies and aca-
demic researchers, to evaluate the effectiveness of that 
standard and accompanying implementation protocols. 
The duties of the working group shall, at a minimum, in-
clude—
(1) reviewing the effectiveness of the standard 
in reducing the establishment of invasive species in 
aquatic ecosystems, taking into consideration the 
data collected under section 5; and 
(2) developing recommendations to the Coast 
Guard for the revision of such standard and type ap-
proval process to ensure effectiveness in reducing in-
troductions and accurate shipboard monitoring of 
treatment performance that is simple and stream-
lined, which shall be made widely available to the 
public. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated—
(1) for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 
2008 
$1,500,000 
for 
the 
Coast 
Guard 
and 
$1,500,000 for Environmental Protection Agency to 
carry out subsection (a); 
(2) for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 
2006 $500,000 for the Coast Guard to carry out 
subsection (b); and
(3) for fiscal year 2004 $500,000 for the Coast 
Guard to carry out subsection (c), to remain avail-
able until expended. 
SEC. 10. RESEARCH IN SYSTEMATICS AND TAXONOMY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The National Science Foundation 
shall establish a program to award grants to researchers 
at institutions of higher education and museums to carry 
out research programs in systematics and taxonomy. 
(b) GOALS.—The goals of the program under this 
section are to—
(1) encourage scientists to pursue careers in 
systematics and taxonomy to ensure a continuing 
knowledge base in these disciplines; 
(2) ensure that there will be adequate expertise 
in systematics and taxonomy to support Federal, 
State, and local needs to identify species; 
(3) develop this expertise throughout the United 
States with an emphasis on regional diversity; and 
(4) draw on existing expertise in systematics 
and taxonomy at institutions of higher education 
and museums to train the next generation of system-
atists and taxonomists. 
(c) CRITERIA.—Grants shall be awarded under this 
section on a merit-reviewed competitive basis. Emphasis 
shall be placed on funding proposals in a diverse set of
ecosystems and geographic locations, and, when applica-
ble, integrated with the United States Long Term Ecologi-
cal Research Network. Preference shall be given to pro-
posals that will include student participation, and to insti-
tutions and museums that actively train students to be-
come experts in taxonomy and systematics. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science 
Foundation for carrying out this section $2,500,000 each 
of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008.
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