April 16, 2020
A House of Representatives version of Senate bill 3150, the Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act of 2020, has been introduced, strengthening Congressional efforts to introduce and protect native plant biodiversity and the supporting ecosystems in our National Parks.
H.R. 6024, identical to the Senate bill endorsed by The Garden Club of America and Scenic America, seeks to restore local flora that provide food and habitat for pollinators and wildlife, and to combat invasive species. Read the GCA's position paper on native plants.
The legislation also would encourage collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management, the Plant Conservation Alliance, and the Plant Materials Centers of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Introduced Feb. 28 by Matt Cartwright (D-PA), H.R. 6024 is co-sponsored by Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Joseph Morelle (D-NY), Jackie Speier (D-CA), French Hill (R-AR), James McGovern (D-MA), Chrissy Houlahan, (D-PA) and Ann Kuster (D-NH). The House bill has been assigned to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.
Senate bill 3150, introduced Jan. 6 by Susan Collins (R-ME) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), is assigned to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
GCA President Debbie Edwards highly commends both the Senate and House leadership for introducing the bipartisan legislation. “This visionary legislation recognizes that native plants, and the ecosystems they support, are critical to controlling erosion, moderating floods, filtering water, and sequestering carbon. In short, they are essential for sustaining life on earth.” The GCA, she added, will continue to “speak for the plants.”
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