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HR 10117
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GATOR Act of 2026

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

Introduced Aug 17, 2026

Latest action (Sep 10, 2026) Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

Referred to
Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Natural Resources Committee
Policy area
Animals
Issues
Climate & Energy

Summary
  • Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the effects of treating American alligators, common caimans, and brown caimans as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
  • Directs the study to examine how this protection has affected the population size and state management programs for these reptiles.
  • Directs the study to examine whether the protection has resulted in more than a complete recovery of the American alligator population and whether common or brown caimans have become invasive species in Florida.
  • Directs the study to examine whether the protection has made it more difficult to remove nuisance alligators and invasive caimans from waterways in residential or commercial areas.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Actions (3)
  1. Sep 10, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. · house
  2. Aug 17, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
  3. Aug 17, 2026 Introduced in House

Text versions (1)
  • Introduced in House · Aug 17, 2026

Only one text version is on file, so there’s no earlier version to compare against yet.

Full text

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. <all>

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