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September 14, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextNATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM INVASIVE SPECIES STRIKE TEAM ACT OF
2025
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4219) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4219
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “National Wildlife Refuge
System Invasive Species Strike Team Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM INVASIVE SPECIES
STRIKE TEAM PROGRAM.
(a) National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species
Strike Team Program.—
(1) 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”.
(2) Requirements.—In carrying out the Program, the
Secretary shall—
(A) 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) 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) conduct appropriate prevention, early detection,
rapid response, and management of invasive species;
(iii) use integrated pest management techniques and
tools;
(iv) 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) use risk assessments, research, innovations,
management outcomes, monitoring, and evaluation to improve
the effectiveness of detection and response activities;
(B) engage in partnerships and collaborations with—
(i) Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments;
(ii) nongovernmental institutions;
(iii) nonprofit organizations; and
(iv) private individuals and entities to advance mutual
priorities and promote efficiency and cost-savings;
(C) collaborate in the development of a set of consistent
taxonomy standards and work with others to implement such
standards among each database of the Department of the
Interior;
(D) utilize national and regional standardized reporting
platforms, such as—
(i) the National Agricultural Pest Information System;
(ii) the National Data Repository of the National Plant
Diagnostic Network;
(iii) the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping
System;
(iv) the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database of the
United States Geological Survey;
(v) iMapInvasives; and
(vi) State databases; and
(E) ensure that both identification of and response to
priority invasive species threats on lands and waters
adjacent to the National Wildlife Refuge System are carried
out only at the request of the owner of such lands or waters.
(3) Provision of assistance.—In carrying out the
Program, the Secretary may—
(A) 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 into, upon request—
(i) financial assistance, including direct expenditures;
(ii) technical assistance;
(iii) contracts; or
(iv) grants or cooperative agreements; and
(B) upon the request of an entity described in
subparagraph (A) and as appropriate, enter into an agreement
to provide the expertise and use of an Invasive Species
Strike Team established under paragraph (2) to respond to
existing or newly detected invasive species.
(4) Coordination of management actions.—The Secretary
shall encourage the National Wildlife Refuge System to
coordinate the 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) Report.—
(A) 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 the date of the
enactment of this section and 5 years after the date of the
enactment of this section.
(B) Contents of report.—Each report submitted under
subparagraph (A) shall include—
(i) a summary of the work of each Invasive Species Strike
Team to address priority invasive species within the National
Wildlife Refuge System; and
(ii) progress made by the Program toward the prevention,
detection, control, or eradication of each priority invasive
species.
(b) 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) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) 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 of such invasive species becomes established or
spreads so widely that eradication is no longer feasible.
(2) 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) Invasive species.—The term “invasive species”
means, with respect to a given ecosystem, a non-native
organism the introduction of which causes or is likely to
cause—
(A) economic or environmental harm; or
(B) harm to human, animal, or plant health.
(4) 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.
(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) Potential impact on other native species.
(B) Ability to alter habitats.
(C) Ability to harm human health.
(D) Severity of economic impact.
(6) Program.—The term “Program” means the National
Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program
authorized under subsection (a)(1).
(7) 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.
(8) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the
Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(9) State.—The term “State” means—
(A) each of the several States;
(B) the District of Columbia; and
(C) each territory and possession of the United States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4219, the bill now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 4219, the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act of 2025.
natural resources. They can damage habitat, harm native species, and create significant economic and environmental costs. The National Wildlife Refuge System is a crown jewel of American wildlife conservation, and invasive populations in refuges jeopardize the system's conservation value. We must ensure the Fish and Wildlife Service has the tools it needs to respond quickly to those threats.
teams to identify and respond to invasive species threats through prevention, early detection, and rapid response. H.R. 4219 strengthens this effort by establishing at least one strike team in each Fish and Wildlife Service region and encouraging coordination with Federal, State, Tribal, local, and private partners.
I support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4219, the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act would codify and build an innovative program within the National Wildlife Refuge System to target and eradicate invasive species.
and waters in the world dedicated to the conservation of wildlife, but many of these refuges face funding and staffing shortages that make it difficult to keep up with invasive species.
successful and affordable that effort is likely to be. That is where the strike team model comes in. Instead of spreading limited resources thin, strike teams allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to bring large teams into an area and quickly target an invasive species before it can reproduce and spread.
approach works. At the Johnston Atoll, yellow crazy ants had been swarming seabirds and their nests for more than a decade. These ants release a poisonous chemical that can injure birds and cause serious infections.
eliminate the ants' nests. After several months of intensive works, the yellow crazy ant was completely eradicated. That success has led the Service to use the strike team model in other regions against other invasive species.
limited by what happens just beyond the refuge boundary. Invasive species do not stop at a property line.
work with willing neighboring landowners to address invasive species on adjacent lands. This will allow the Service to take a more coordinated approach and make better use of limited resources.
H.R. 4219 will help protect wildlife habitat, support the recovery of endangered species, and preserve opportunities for hunting, fishing, and recreation on our national wildlife refuges.
I thank the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case) for his work on this important program, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close and reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1540
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), who is the sponsor of the bill.
Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today in support of the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act, a bipartisan measure which I am proud to have introduced with my colleague from Guam (Mr. Moylan).
was privileged to serve for 6 years, and the chair and ranking member of the subcommittee and full committee, for working with us to develop a mutually acceptable measure and for bringing it to the floor.
destroy the delicate balance of our ecosystems, as they can outcompete, prey on, or introduce diseases to our native fauna and flora. The consequences of these disruptions are severe, leading to not only extinction of whole species but to declines in biodiversity, diminishment of the resilience of our ecosystems in the face of environmental change, and broader ripple effects economically, socially, and otherwise.
it is that we remain vigilant in our response to these invasive species. Hawaii's isolation has led to the evolution of many endemic species that are found nowhere else on Earth.
compete or resist the pressures of the some 5,000 introduced invasive plants and animals, which can rapidly alter ecosystems and displace local species. Invasive species have caused significant ecological damage, threatening the survival of native birds and plants. Protecting Hawaii's unique biodiversity, through invaluable national wildlife refuges and otherwise, is not just an environmental necessity. It is also a cultural imperative that reflects the identity and heritage of the Native Hawaiian people.
However, invasive species are not just a localized problem. They pose a
significant threat to the integrity of our natural world. Addressing this crisis requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach, focusing first on prevention; second on early detection, which is key; and third on effective and coordinated management strategies to safeguard our vulnerable ecosystems.
Team Act, will do just that, codifying the existing program currently operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These specialized teams play an essential role in managing emerging invasive species, employing strategies tailored to local conditions across the National Wildlife Refuge System. With 21 teams strategically positioned in various Fish and Wildlife Service regions, they are on the front lines, addressing the unique challenges posed by invasive species.
been a part of a strike team for over a decade, working with the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge on the eastern slopes of Mauna Kea to manage little fire ant threats and remove fountain grass and holly plants, which can choke out our native plants. The Big Island Invasive Species Committee is just one of the many great examples of this effective program and reminds us of its crucial and effective work.
integrated systems and standardized procedures, ensuring transparency and enabling us to track progress with annual reports to Congress and the public. Furthermore, it authorizes $15 million annually through fiscal year 2029 to support ongoing initiatives.
resources and enhancing our capacity to respond swiftly to the threats posed by invasive species. I humbly request my colleagues to lend their support to this bill and ensure the preservation of our ecosystems and promote a resilient future for our environment.
Mr. Speaker, “thank you so very much.” “Mahalo nui loa.”
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 4219, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4219, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.