The Senate is currently considering two bills that aim to protect U.S. waters from aquatic invaders. The National Aquatic Invasive Species Act (NAISA) is the stronger bill and would provide much-needed tools to prevent, detect, and respond to new invasions. The Ballast Water Management Act (S.363) is the weaker bill—it addresses only a fraction of invasive species, delays the deadline by which shippers must strengthen their management of ballast water, and prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating aquatic invaders under the Clean Water Act.

Starting in June, UCS activists sent in almost 24,000 letters asking their senators to oppose the Ballast Water Management Act. Thanks in part to the work of UCS activists, action on the act has stopped—at least for now. We hope for no more action this year. UCS will continue to monitor the progress of invasive species legislation and push for strong action in the next Congress to protect our waters from aquatic invaders, such as the zebra mussel and northern snakehead fish, which damage native ecosystems and cause serious economic harm to industries and communities.