National Invasive Species Awareness Week, 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. BENISHEK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Invasive Species Awareness Week, 2016, from February 21 to February 27. Invasive species cause widespread damage across the United States. Billions of dollars of damage are caused by animals such as nutria in the South, sea lampreys in the Great Lakes, Asian carp in the Mississippi Basin, and quagga mussels in the west. We must work together to raise awareness of the economic and environmental damage that invasive species are wreaking on our lands and waters. In Congress, I along with Congressman Mike Thompson of California, are co-chairs of the Congressional Invasive Species Caucus. This large, bipartisan group of Members of Congress from across the country seeks to bring attention to the danger invasive species pose. We often work together on policies that will reduce the impact of these species. This week, the Congressional Invasive Species Caucus hosted an informational session in honor of National Invasive Species Awareness Week that saw over one dozen groups, ranging from federal agencies to non-government organizations, presenting on the dangers of invasive species and ongoing efforts to control their populations. On behalf of all residents of Northern Michigan and the United States, I wish to honor the many citizens and organizations who work each day to stop the threat of invasive species to our country. I, along with my colleagues in the House, will continue to work to stop invasive species and bring awareness of this important issue to the American public.

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