HR 767 · 110th Congress 2007–2009, ended

Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act

Latest action · Nov 8, 2007 Referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedJan 31, 2007
  2. Passed HouseOct 22, 2007
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act - (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide under the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Grant Program or the REPAIR Program (established by this Act): (1) a grant to any eligible applicant to carry out a qualified control project to control harmful nonnative species; and (2) a grant to any state to carry out an assessment project to identify harmful nonnative species, assess the needs to restore, manage, or enhance native fish, wildlife, and habitats, identify priorities, and identify mechanisms to increase capacity building for native fish, wildlife, and habitats.

Requires the Secretary to consult with the Invasive Species Advisory Committee: (1) on the projects proposed for such grants, including the scientific merit, technical merit, feasibility, and priority of proposed projects; and (2) regarding the development of a database concerning control projects carried out with such grants.

Requires the Invasive Species Advisory Committee to: (1) consult with the Secretary on the creation of criteria and guidelines for such grants; (2) consult with the Secretary regarding whether proposed control projects are qualified control projects, as determined under this Act; and (3) carry out functions relating to the monitoring of control projects.

Specifies that eligible applicants for grants to carry out qualified control projects shall: (1) be a state, local government, interstate or regional agency, university, or private person; (2) have adequate personnel, funding, and authority to carry out and monitor or maintain a control project; and (3) have entered into an agreement with the Secretary or the Secretary's designee for a national wildlife refuge or refuge complex.

Sets forth requirements for determining the selection of qualified control projects, including the ranking of such projects.

Instructs the Secretary to ensure: (1) a balance of smaller and larger projects conducted; and (2) an equitable geographic distribution of projects carried out among all regions and states within which such projects are proposed to be conducted.

Sets forth requirements for: (1) the duration and renewal of grants; (2) reporting by grantees carrying out control and assessment projects; and (3) federal and non-federal cost sharing for such projects. Provides that the federal share of the cost of the portion of a control project that is carried out on national wildlife refuge lands or waters shall be 100%, including the cost of acquisition by the federal government of land or waters.

Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the implementation of such Program. Requires such reports to include an assessment of specified, data, trends, and reviews concerning the control projects carried out under this Act.

Bars the Secretary from making a grant for a control project on national wildlife refuge lands or lands in proximity to refuge resources before a non-federal interest has entered into a written agreement with a national wildlife refuge or refuge complex under which the non-federal interest agrees to: (1) monitor and maintain the control project according to the plan required by this Act; and (2) provide any other items of cooperation the Secretary considers necessary to carry out the project.

(Sec. 5) Authorizes the Secretary to provide financial assistance to enable an immediate response to outbreaks of harmful nonnative species that threaten or may negatively impact refuge resources that are at a stage at which rapid eradication or control is possible, and to ensure eradication or immediate control of such species. Requires the provision of such assistance to local and state agencies, universities, or nongovernmental entities for the eradication of an immediate harmful nonnative species threat only under specified conditions, including that the proposed response to such threat minimizes adverse impacts to the structure and function of national wildlife refuge ecosystems and adverse effects on nontarget species. Makes the federal share of the cost of any activity carried out with such assistance 100%. Requires recipients of such assistance to monitor and report on activities carried out with such assistance.

(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary, consistent with the National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998, to establish a cooperative volunteer harmful nonnative species monitoring and control program to administer and coordinate projects implemented by partner organizations concerned with national wildlife refuges to address such species that threaten national wildlife refuges or adjacent lands.

Requires each project administered and coordinated to include one of the following activities: (1) habitat surveys; (2) detection and identification of new introductions or infestations of harmful nonnative species; (3) harmful nonnative species control projects; or (4) public education and outreach to increase awareness concerning such species and their threat to the refuge system.

(Sec. 7) Describes this Act's effect with respect to: (1) other authorities, responsibilities, obligations, or powers of the Secretary under any other statute; and (2) preemption of any provision or enforcement of state law relating to management of fish and wildlife resources.

(Sec. 8) Requires the Secretary to submit biennial reports summarizing all grant activities relating to invasive species initiated under this Act.

(Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations. Allows not more than 25% of amounts appropriated for carrying out this Act to be available in any fiscal year for immediate response assistance under this Act. Limits expenditure for administrative expenses.

Cosponsors 20

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 31, 2007 to Oct 15, 2007; 12 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-FLAllen BoydOriginalJan 31, 2007
R-CTChristopher ShaysOriginalJan 31, 2007
D-NJDonald M. PayneOriginalJan 31, 2007
D-CAGrace F. NapolitanoOriginalJan 31, 2007
R-NJJim SaxtonOriginalJan 31, 2007
R-PRLuis G. FortunoOriginalJan 31, 2007
R-DEMichael N. CastleOriginalJan 31, 2007
D-CAMike ThompsonOriginalJan 31, 2007
D-TXSolomon P. OrtizOriginalJan 31, 2007
R-MIThaddeus G. McCotterOriginalJan 31, 2007
R-MIVernon J. EhlersOriginalJan 31, 2007
R-MDWayne T. GilchrestOriginalJan 31, 2007
D-OKDan BorenMar 1, 2007
D-MIJohn Conyers, Jr.Mar 1, 2007
D-CASam FarrJun 19, 2007

Committees 3

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseNatural Resources Committee
Referred Jan 31, 2007Markup Oct 10, 2007Reported Oct 22, 2007
Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
Referred Feb 13, 2007Hearings Jun 21, 2007Markup Jul 26, 2007Reported Jul 26, 2007
SenateEnergy and Natural Resources Committee
Referred Oct 23, 2007Discharged Nov 9, 2007
SenateEnvironment and Public Works Committee
Referred Nov 9, 2007

Actions 19

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Nov 8, 2007Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S14234)
  2. Nov 8, 2007Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S14234)
  3. Nov 8, 2007Referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  4. Oct 23, 2007Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  5. Oct 22, 2007Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 110-397.
  6. Oct 22, 2007Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 251.
  7. Oct 22, 2007Ms. Bordallo moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. Oct 22, 2007Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H11791-11795)
  9. Oct 22, 2007DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 767.
  10. Oct 22, 2007Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H11791-11793)
  11. Oct 22, 2007Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  12. Oct 10, 2007Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  13. Oct 10, 2007Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
  14. Jul 26, 2007Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  15. Jul 26, 2007Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
  16. Jun 21, 2007Subcommittee Hearings Held.
  17. Feb 13, 2007Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans.
  18. Jan 31, 2007Introduced in House
  19. Jan 31, 2007Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

In the Congressional Record 2

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
SenateDebate and remarks S14234Richard J. Durbin D-ILNov 8, 2007
HouseDebate and remarks H11791–H11795Text printed H11791–H11793Eni F. H. Faleomavaega D-AS, Louie Gohmert R-TX, Madeleine Z. Bordallo D-GU, Ron Kind D-WIOct 22, 2007

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Committee report

Congressional Budget Office cost estimates 2

  1. Oct 22, 2007H.R. 767, Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act<p>Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on October 10, 2007</p>
  2. Oct 22, 2007H.R. 767, Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response ActCost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on October 10, 2007

Printed hearings 5

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
—DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009284 pagesAppropriations CommitteeDec 31, 2008
S. Hrg. 110-648Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009520 pagesAppropriations CommitteeMar 4, 2008–Apr 15, 2008
—DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008284 pagesAppropriations CommitteeDec 31, 2007
Serial No. 110-48IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IMPROVEMENT ACT: HAS THE PROMISE BEEN FULFILLED?78 pagesNatural Resources CommitteeOct 9, 2007
S. Hrg. 110-383DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008427 pagesAppropriations CommitteeMar 13, 2007–May 22, 2007

Related bills 1

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 3366Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response ActRelated billJul 30, 2008

Titles 4

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To protect, conserve, and restore native fish, wildlife, and their natural habitats at national wildlife refuges through cooperative, incentive-based grants to control, mitigate, and eradicate harmful nonnative species, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced
Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act
Short Titles as Reported to House
Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act
Short Titles as Passed House
Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources.

Text 5

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Nov 8, 2007Reference Change Senate
  2. Oct 23, 2007Referred in Senate
  3. Oct 22, 2007Reported in House
  4. Oct 22, 2007Engrossed in House
  5. Jan 31, 2007Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.