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H.R. 4219 — what changed

National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act of 2025

From Introduced in House to Reported in House. 1 section amended between Introduced in House and Reported in House.

Sec. 2 National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program

(a)
added Invasive Species Strike Team Program—
(1)
added In general— The Secretary shall carry out a program to identify and respond to priority invasive species threats within or adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters in coordination with partners, to be known as the “National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program”.
(a)
removed Purpose— The purpose of this Act is to legislatively authorize the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to eradicate, control, and reduce the adverse effects of invasive species on and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters, primarily through prevention, biosecurity, early detection, and rapid response.
(b)
removed Invasive Species Strike Team Program—
(1)
removed In general— The Secretary shall carry out a program to identify and respond to priority invasive species threats within and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters in coordination with partners, to be known as the “National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program”.
(2)
renumbered was (3)(3) Requirements— In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall—
(A)
renumbered was (3)(3)(3) establish at least 1 invasive species strike team within each region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service trained in early detection and rapid response for multiple invasive species taxa to—
(i)
added conserve, manage, and, where appropriate, restore, habitat conditions that help native biological communities flourish within or adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters;
(ii)
added conduct appropriate prevention, early detection, rapid response, and management of invasive species;
(i)
removed conserve, manage, and, where appropriate, restore, habitat conditions that help native biological communities flourish on and adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters;
(ii)
removed conduct prevention, early detection surveillance, eradication, containment, mapping, monitoring, and active management of invasive species;
(iii)
renumbered was (3)(3)(3)(4) use integrated pest management techniques and tools;
(iv)
renumbered was (3)(3)(3)(5) conduct inreach and outreach, including trainings and table-top exercises, including on the use of the Incident Command System, as part of their planning and operations; and
(v)
renumbered was (3)(3)(3)(6) use risk assessments, research, innovations, management outcomes, monitoring, and evaluation to improve the effectiveness of detection and response activities;
(B)
renumbered was (3)(3)(4) engage in partnerships and collaborations with—
(i)
renumbered was (3)(3)(4)(2) Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments;
(ii)
renumbered was (3)(3)(4)(3) nongovernmental institutions;
(iii)
renumbered was (3)(3)(4)(4) nonprofit organizations; and
(iv)
renumbered was (3)(3)(4)(5) private individuals and entities to advance mutual priorities and promote efficiency and cost-savings;
(C)
renumbered was (3)(3)(5) collaborate in the development of a set of consistent taxonomy standards and work with others to implement such standards among all Department of the Interior databases; and
(D)
renumbered was (3)(3)(6) utilize national and regional standardized reporting platforms, such as—
(i)
renumbered was (3)(3)(6)(2) the National Agricultural Pest Information System;
(ii)
renumbered was (3)(3)(6)(3) the National Data Repository of the National Plant Diagnostic Network;
(iii)
renumbered was (3)(3)(6)(4) the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System;
(iv)
renumbered was (3)(3)(6)(5) the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database of the United States Geological Survey;
(v)
renumbered was (3)(3)(6)(6) iMapInvasives; and
(vi)
renumbered was (3)(3)(6)(7) State databases.
(3)
renumbered was (3)(4) Provision of assistance— In carrying out the Program, the Secretary is authorized to—
(A)
added conduct outreach as appropriate to Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments and institutions, as well as private individuals and organizations, to address the management of invasive species within or adjacent to National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters, including providing or entering, upon request—
(A)
removed conduct outreach to Federal, State, Territorial, local, and Tribal governments, nongovernmental institutions, nonprofit organizations, and private individuals and entities to address the management of property adjacent to a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System, including providing or entering into, upon request—
(i)
renumbered was (3)(4)(3)(2) financial assistance, including direct expenditures;
(ii)
renumbered was (3)(4)(3)(3) technical assistance;
(iii)
renumbered was (3)(4)(3)(4) contracts; or
(iv)
renumbered was (3)(4)(3)(5) grants or cooperative agreements; and
(B)
added upon request of an entity described in subparagraph (A) and as appropriate, enter into an agreement to provide the expertise and use of Invasive Species Strike Teams established under paragraph (2) to respond to existing or newly detected invasive species.
(4)
added Coordination of management actions— The Secretary shall encourage the National Wildlife Refuge System to coordinate invasive species management actions of each Invasive Species Strike Team with adjacent landowners and the State or Tribal agencies within the State or Tribal lands on which Invasive Species Strike Team activities may occur.
(5)
added Report—
(B)
removed upon the request of another Federal department or agency or a State, Tribal, or Territorial agency, enter into an agreement within the mission and authorities of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service with such department or agency to provide the expertise and use of invasive species strike teams established under paragraph (2) to respond to invasive species under the jurisdiction of such department or agency, or to rapidly respond to a newly detected invasive species.
(4)
removed Coordination of management actions— The Secretary shall encourage the National Wildlife Refuge System to coordinate invasive species management actions of each Invasive Species Strike Team with adjacent landowners and the State agencies within the State of which Invasive Species Strike Team activities may occur.
(5)
removed Report—
(A)
renumbered was (3)(6)(2) In general— The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and make available to the public on the website of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, a report regarding the Program 2 years after enactment and 5 years after enactment.
(B)
renumbered was (3)(6)(3) Contents of report— Each report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include—
(i)
renumbered was (3)(6)(3)(3) a summary of each Invasive Species Strike Team’s work to address priority invasive species within the National Wildlife Refuge System; and
(ii)
renumbered was (3)(6)(3)(4) progress made by the Program toward the prevention, detection, control, or eradication of each priority invasive species.
(b)
added Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2033.
(c)
removed Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
(c)
renumbered was (5) Definitions— In this section:
(1)
added Early detection— The term early detection means a process of surveying for, reporting, and verifying the presence of an invasive species before the founding population becomes established or spreads so widely that eradication is no longer feasible.
(2)
added Eradication— The term “eradication” means the removal or destruction of an entire population of specific invasive species, or removal of a group of invasive species at a pre-defined geographic scale, confirmed through species-specific post-treatment monitoring with no or little chance of reinvasion.
(3)
renumbered was (5)(3) Invasive species— The term invasive species means, with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant health.
(4)
added Prevention— The term “prevention” means actions, such as outreach, education, or inspection stations, associated with stopping invasive species from being introduced or spreading into a new location or ecosystem through various pathways.
(2)
removed Early detection— The term early detection means a process of surveying for, reporting, and verifying the presence of a non-native species before the founding population becomes established or spreads so widely that eradication is no longer feasible.
(5)
renumbered was (5)(5) Priority invasive species— The term priority invasive species means an invasive species that is a major concern and necessary to map, monitor, and manage based on the following factors:
(A)
renumbered was (5)(5)(3) Potential impact on other native species.
(B)
renumbered was (5)(5)(4) Ability to alter habitats.
(C)
renumbered was (5)(5)(5) Ability to harm human health.
(D)
renumbered was (5)(5)(6) Severity of economic impact.
(6)
added Program— The term Program means the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program authorized under subsection (a)(1).
(7)
added Rapid response— The term “rapid response” means a process that is employed to eradicate or contain the founding or incipient population of an invasive species from a specific location.
(4)
removed Program— The term Program means the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program authorized under subsection (b)(1).
(8)
renumbered was (5)(7) Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(9)
renumbered was (5)(8) State— The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each territory and possession of the United States.