119-hr1332

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1332 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1332

 To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish and carry out a 
 program to sequence the genomes of aquatic species.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 13, 2025

 Mr. Min (for himself, Ms. Brownley, and Ms. Elfreth) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
 Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish and carry out a 
 program to sequence the genomes of aquatic species.

 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 ``Aquatic Biodiversity Preservation 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. AQUATIC SPECIES GENOME SEQUENCING PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish and carry out a 
program to sequence the genomes of aquatic species, in coordination 
with covered entities, to enhance scientific understanding and 
conservation, management, and enforcement efforts with respect to such 
species.

    (b) Program Duties.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary 
shall carry out activities that include the following:

    (1) Identify and catalogue vouchered specimens, verifiably 
 identified by a taxonomist, of aquatic species held by covered 
 entities for the purpose of including such aquatic species in 
 the Program.

    (2) Obtain genetic samples, including through purchase or 
 field collection, of priority species.

    (3) Extract and process DNA from samples of aquatic species 
 or the environment through laboratory analysis, including 
 carrying out any labor and acquiring any supplies required for 
 such analysis.

    (4) Sequence the genomes of aquatic species to accepted 
 completeness and quality standards for reference genomes, 
 including, as the Secretary determines appropriate, nuclear, 
 mitochondrial, and chloroplast DNA.

    (5) Collect, catalogue, and store the metadata created by 
 sequencing the genomes of aquatic species under paragraph

    (4) .

    (6) Make publicly available the genomes and associated 
 metadata of aquatic species that have been sequenced but are 
 not publicly available.

    (7) Provide funding and technical assistance to covered 
 entities that the Secretary determines appropriate to carry out 
 the activities described in paragraphs

    (1) through

    (6) .

    (8) Establish principles for the management and sharing of 
 data collected and produced through the Program in accordance 
 with the document titled ``The FAIR Guiding Principles for 
 scientific data management and stewardship'' (published March 
 15, 2016).
            (c) Program Participation by Covered Entities.--A covered entity 
may carry out the activities described in paragraphs

    (1) through

    (6) of 
subsection

    (b) pursuant to the Program.
            (d) Data Sharing.--

    (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph

    (2) , if 
 the Secretary or a covered entity sequences the genome of an 
 aquatic species pursuant to the Program, not later than 360 
 days after the date on which the sequencing of such genome is 
 completed, the Secretary or the covered entity that sequenced 
 such genome, as applicable, shall submit to the National Center 
 for Biotechnology Information to make publicly available such 
 sequenced genome and any associated raw sequence data and 
 metadata, including--
        (A) the species of such genome;
        (B) the location of where the sample that was used 
 to sequence such genome was collected;
            (C) the time and date of when such sample was 
 collected;
            (D) the process by which such genome was sequenced; 
 and
        (E) any information required pursuant to the 
 principles for the management and sharing of data 
 collected and produced through the Program established 
 under subsection

    (b)

    (8) .

    (2) Exception for tribal governments.--If, pursuant to the 
 Program, a Tribal Government sequences the genome of an aquatic 
 species or provides a sample of an aquatic species to the 
 Secretary that the Secretary uses to sequence the genome of 
 such species, the Tribal Government shall be the only entity 
 with the authority to determine whether and when to submit to 
 the National Center for Biotechnology Information to make 
 publicly available the data collected and produced through such 
 sequencing.

    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the Program $2,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2025 through 2031.

    (f) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Aquatic species of greatest conservation need.--The 
 term ``aquatic species of greatest conservation need'' means an 
 aquatic species that, unless otherwise specified, the Secretary 
 determines requires conservation attention because such 
 species--
        (A) has a low or declining population;
        (B) is facing threats; or
            (C) is considered by a Tribal Government or Native 
 Hawaiian organization to be biologically or culturally 
 significant for indigenous purposes.

    (2) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means--
        (A) a Federal agency;
        (B) a State Government;
            (C) a Tribal Government;
            (D) a Native Hawaiian organization;
        (E) a nonprofit organization; and
        (F) an institution of higher education.

    (3) Harmful algal bloom.--The term ``harmful algal bloom'' 
 has the meaning given the term in 

section 609 of the Harmful 
 Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (33 
 U.S.C. 4008).

    (4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

    (5) Institution of higher education.--The term 
 ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
 term in 

section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
 U.S.C. 1001).

    (6) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native 
 Hawaiian organization''--
        (A) means an organization that--
            (i) serves and represents the interests of 
 Native Hawaiians;
            (ii) has as a primary and stated purpose 
 the provision of services to Native Hawaiians; 
 and
            (iii) has expertise in Native Hawaiian 
 affairs; and
        (B) includes Native Hawaiian organizations 
 registered with the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations 
 of the Department of the Interior.

    (7) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
 organization'' means an organization--
        (A) described in 

section 501
            (c) (3) of the Internal 
 Revenue Code of 1986; and
        (B) that is exempt from taxation under 

section 501

    (a) of that Code.

    (8) Priority species.--The term ``priority species'' means 
 an aquatic species--
        (A) the genome of which has not been fully 
 sequenced or is not publicly available; and
        (B) that is--
            (i) listed as a threatened species or as an 
 endangered species pursuant to 

section 4 of the 
 Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
 1533);
            (ii) included in the Non-indigenous Aquatic 
 Species database of the United States 
 Geological Survey;
            (iii) listed in 1 of the Appendices of the 
 Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
 Species of Wild Fauna and Flora;
            (iv) a macroinvertebrate that acts as a 
 biological indicator of aquatic ecosystem 
 health;
            (v) a species that contributes to harmful 
 algal blooms or a foodborne illness derived 
 from eating seafood;
            (vi) a species of fish that is managed 
 pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
 Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
 1801);
            (vii) an aquatic species of greatest 
 conservation need;
            (viii) a species protected under the Marine 
 Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361 
 et seq.);
            (ix) a species monitored under the Seafood 
 Import Monitoring Program of the National 
 Marine Fisheries Service; or
            (x) a look-alike species or a species that 
 is morphologically or genetically closely 
 related to a species described in clauses
            (i) through
            (x) .

    (9) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the program 
 established under subsection

    (a) .

    (10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Commerce.

    (11) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
 Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
 Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and 
 any other territory or possession of the United States.

    (12) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal Government'' 
 means the recognized governing body of an Indian Tribe.

    (g) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the date 
that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section.
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