[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10117 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10117

To require the Comptroller General of the United States to carry out a 
       study regarding certain reptiles, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 17, 2026

  Mr. Steube introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Comptroller General of the United States to carry out a 
       study regarding certain reptiles, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Gathering Alligator Treatment, 
Oversight, and Response Act of 2026'' or the ``GATOR Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. STUDY REGARDING CERTAIN REPTILES.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States, in 
consultation with the Secretary and the heads of wildlife agencies of 
covered States the Comptroller General and Secretary determine 
relevant, shall carry out a study regarding the effect of the treatment 
by the Secretary pursuant to section 4(e)(A) of the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(e)(A)) of covered reptiles as threatened 
species by reason of similarity of appearance to a species listed as an 
endangered species or a threatened species under section 4 of that Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1533) on the size of the population of covered reptiles, 
including whether and, if so, how, such treatment has--
            (1) affected the management programs of covered reptiles of 
        covered States;
            (2) resulted in--
                    (A) more than a complete recovery of the American 
                alligator; and
                    (B) the common caiman or brown caiman becoming an 
                invasive species in Florida; and
            (3) made it more difficult for nuisance American alligators 
        or invasive common caimans or brown caimans to be removed from 
        waterways in or around residential or commercial areas than 
        before such treatment was implemented.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered reptile.--The term ``covered reptile'' means--
                    (A) the American alligator (Alligator 
                mississippiensis);
                    (B) the common caiman (Caiman crocodilus 
                crocodilus); and
                    (C) the brown caiman (Caiman crocodilus odilus 
                fuscus; Caiman crocodilus chiapasius).
            (2) Covered state.--The term ``covered State'' means a 
        State that has at least 1 population of a covered reptile 
        located within the State.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
        States Fish and Wildlife Service.
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