US House Committee Meeting on Invasive Species

US House Committee Meeting on Invasive Species
The United States House Committee on Natural Resources is preparing for a March 23rd oversight hearing on invasive species, specifically snakes. This will be a joint hearing between the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands and the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife. The hearing has not been formally announced yet, but we are told it will focus on the Lacey Act and whether this law is an effective method to control invasive species, particularly constrictor snakes.

We believe this hearing will be used to try and support the case for proposed Rule Change to the Lacey Act; adding the 9 constricting snakes addressed in the recent USGS report to the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act. If enacted this regulatory change could put tens of thousands of Americans in jeopardy of felony prosecution.

USARK will continue to monitor this important issue, its relevance to propose Rule Change, and forward along any new information as it becomes available.