Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 776
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Animals
Status: Passed House
Latest Action: 2025-02-05: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Last Updated: 2026-07-11T11:23:19Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to extend the authorization of the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003, a federal program focused on managing and reducing populations of nutria—an invasive, semi-aquatic rodent species that damages wetlands, marshes, and agricultural lands, particularly in coastal regions like Louisiana. The extension ensures continued federal support for eradication and control efforts to protect ecosystems and infrastructure.

Key Provisions

Reauthorization Extension: Amends Section 3(e) of the original 2003 Act (codified at 16 U.S.C. 8102(e)) by changing the program's expiration date from 2025 to 2030, allowing ongoing funding and activities for nutria control.
Technical Correction: Amends Section 3(a) of the original Act (codified at 16 U.S.C. 8102(a)) to fix a minor punctuation error in the text referencing the "Secretary" (likely the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or a related official), improving clarity without altering substance.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

The primary change is a five-year extension of the program's authorization, preventing its lapse and enabling sustained federal involvement in nutria management.
The technical correction is cosmetic and does not modify policy, rights, or obligations; it simply refines the statutory language for accuracy.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Extends operational authority and potential funding for agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which oversee invasive species control, allowing them to maintain or expand nutria eradication programs without interruption.
Citizens and Local Communities: Benefits residents in nutria-affected areas (e.g., coastal states) by continuing efforts to reduce property damage, flooding risks from wetland erosion, and threats to agriculture and fisheries, potentially lowering economic losses for farmers and coastal property owners.
Environment: Supports ongoing habitat restoration in sensitive ecosystems, aiding biodiversity and reducing invasive species spread.
International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it indirectly aligns with U.S. commitments to biodiversity protection under international agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity by addressing invasive species.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal and State Agencies: USDA, state wildlife departments (e.g., Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries), and local environmental offices responsible for implementing control measures.
Environmental and Conservation Groups: Organizations focused on wetland preservation, such as the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) partners, which benefit from sustained nutria management.
Local Communities and Industries: Coastal residents, farmers, fishers, and tourism operators in nutria-impacted regions who face economic and ecological harms from the species.
Taxpayers: Indirectly affected through continued federal funding allocation for the program.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: This is a routine reauthorization bill with no substantive alterations to the original Act's framework, which authorizes cooperative federal-state programs for invasive species control under existing wildlife and environmental statutes (e.g., the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act). It poses no challenges to enforcement or judicial review.
Constitutional: No significant implications; the bill operates within Congress's enumerated powers to regulate interstate commerce and manage federal lands, without infringing on states' rights or individual liberties.
Political: As a bipartisan, non-controversial measure (passed by the House and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works), it reflects ongoing congressional support for targeted environmental programs but may prompt debates on federal spending priorities during budget cycles. No major partisan divides are evident in the bill's content.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]

Recent Actions

2025-02-05: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
2025-02-04: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2025-02-04: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 361 - 56 (Roll no. 29). (text: CR H449) (Roll call 29)
2025-02-04: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 361 - 56 (Roll no. 29). (text: CR H449) (Roll call 29)
2025-02-04: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H451-452)
2025-02-04: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
2025-02-04: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 776.
2025-02-04: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H449-450)
2025-02-04: Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
2025-01-28: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
2025-01-28: Introduced in House
2025-01-28: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-04 — PDF (4 pages)
Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (2 pages)
Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-05 — PDF (2 pages)