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Kaptur, Stabenow introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation demanding Administration release report on Asian carp

June 21, 2017

Bill has 38 cosponsors, will force Administration to release Brandon Road Study

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) led a bipartisan group of Members in introducing a bill, the Stop Asian Carp Now Act, which will compel to the Trump Administration to release the Brandon Road Study within seven days of the bill's enactment. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam study will provide important guidance on how best to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes and is an important hurdle before further action can be taken.

Kaptur and Stabenow are respective Co-Chairs of the House and Senate Great Lakes Task Force and were joined in leading the effort by fellow Co-Chair Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) and a total of 38 original cosponsors.

"The Administration can't explain why we have waited since February for a report that cost taxpayers $6 million. We should be aggressively pursuing action to prevent the spread of the Asian carp to the Great Lakes, yet the roadmap to getting there is sitting on a shelf somewhere in the Army Corps of Engineers," said Congresswoman Kaptur. "This bipartisan bill to force the release of the Brandon Road Study once and for all, will help us all move forward to protecting our Great Lakes."

"It's incredibly irresponsible for the Trump Administration to continue to block the Army Corps from releasing a crucial plan to address the threat of Asian carp to our Great Lakes," said Senator Stabenow. "Our Great Lakes are so essential to our economy and our way of life in Michigan. Our bipartisan bill would require the Administration to release the report immediately so we can move forward with a permanent solution."

"The threat Asian carp pose to the Great Lakes both ecologically and economically is clear. As policymakers, it is critical that we have the best information available to protect the Great Lakes. Delaying the release of the completed Brandon Road study only shortens the window we have to address this growing problem. I urge the Trump Administration to release this important study so we can determine the best path forward in stopping the spread of this destructive and invasive species," said Congressman Huizenga.

Background:

Asian carp represent a serious economic and environmental threat to the Great Lakes and this report is a critical next step in finding and implementing a solution. The report has already been delayed by the Trump Administration from its expected release in February of this year. Once the report is released a public comment period can begin, and further action can be decided in an open and transparent way.

The seven cosponsors in the Senate so far are Senators Peters (D-MI), Baldwin (D-WI), Brown (D-OH), Franken (D-MN) Klobuchar (D-MN), Durbin (D-IL) and Duckworth (D-IL).

The 31 cosponsors in the House so far are Reps. Huizenga (MI-02), Joyce (OH-14), Slaughter (NY-25), Nolan (MN-08), Trott (MI-11), Bergman (MI-01), Moolenaar (MI-04), Walberg (MI-07), Kildee (MI-05), Upton (MI-06), Schneider (IL-10), Mike Bishop (MI-08), Dingell (MI-12), Lawrence (MI-14), Walz (MN-01), Quigley (IL-05), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Conyers (MI-13), Moore (WI-04), Gallagher (WI-08), Chris Collins (NY-27), Schakowsky (IL-09), Mitchell (MI-10), Duffy (WI-07), Pocan (WI-02), Levin (MI-09), Fudge (OH-11), Stefanik (NY-21), Latta (OH-05), Amash (MI-03) and Brian Higgins (NY-26).

Contact:
Kaptur: Josh Stewart, (202) 225-4146
Stabenow: Miranda Margowsky, (202) 224-1154
Huizenga: Brian Patrick, (616) 570-0917