Reps. Bieda, Accavitti, Ball, Bauer, Brown, Byrum, Clack, Clemente, Condino, Constan, Cushingberry, Espinoza, Gillard, Gonzales, Hammel, Hammon, Hansen, Hildenbrand, Hopgood, Johnson, Rick Jones, Kathleen Law, LeBlanc, Lemmons, Marleau, Mayes, McDowell, Miller, Palsrok, Pastor, Polidori, Rocca, Sak, Sheltrown, Spade, Vagnozzi, Valentine, Warren and Wojno offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 17.

            A resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to enact the Great Lakes Asian Carp Barrier Act.

            Whereas, Two species of Asian carp are on the verge of invading the Great Lakes. Silver carp and bighead carp have advanced up the Mississippi River since their escape from southern fish farms in the early 1980s, and now have been identified within miles of Lake Michigan in the Illinois River near Chicago; and

            Whereas, Asian carp pose a significant risk to the ecology and economy of the Great Lakes region. Asian carp can grow as large as 100 pounds and are voracious feeders. They compete with native fish for food and degrade water quality by disturbing sediments. They could become a dominant species in the Great Lakes, threatening a $4.5 billion commercial and recreational fishery. Silver carp can also jump up to 10 feet out of the water when disturbed, posing a risk to recreational boaters; and

            Whereas, Asian carp are the latest in a long line of exotic species to threaten the Great Lakes. Over 180 exotic species have invaded the Great Lakes since European settlement. The most harmful exotic species, zebra mussels and sea lampreys, have cost an estimated $100 million per year to control during the 1990s. Scientists project that Asian carp could have a similar impact on the Great Lakes; and

            Whereas, The only thing preventing the movement of Asian carp into the Great Lakes is a temporary electrical barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. In addition, the Army Corps and the state of Illinois are constructing a permanent electrical barrier to replace the temporary barrier; and

            Whereas, To date, over $12 million has been spent on construction and operation of the electrical barriers. To help match federal funding, the state of Michigan has contributed nearly $70,000 toward the completion of the permanent electrical barrier; and

            Whereas, Current funding is insufficient to complete construction of the permanent barrier and only finances operation of the temporary barrier through the first half of fiscal year 2007. In addition, there is no funding to renovate the temporary barrier as a permanent backup to the new barrier; and

            Whereas, The Great Lakes Asian Carp Barrier Act (H.R. 553 and S. 336) would provide funds to upgrade the current barrier and complete construction of the permanent barrier; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the United States Congress to enact the Great Lakes Asian Carp Barrier Act (H.R. 553 and S. 336) to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.