Thank you very much.

I want to thank my colleague and friend, Senator Whitehouse, for arranging for this joint hearing.

Senator Levin, in talking about the threats to the Great Lakes; and Senator Nelson, who will talk about the unique wildlife and ecosystems in Florida.

Senator Levin will be adding his perspective on the threats to the Great Lakes.

We have got to stop the spread of this disease.

I think each of the members' opening statements points that we have a common challenge around the Nation on dealing with the protection of our native wildlife species.

This serious threat to our health, environment and economy is repeating itself all along the East Coast.

I am trying to understand when you consider it urgent to act quickly.

I want to thank my colleague Senator Whitehouse for his assistance in co-chairing this important hearing to examine the threats disease and invasive species pose to the country's native wildlife.

Managing the threat of invasive species continues to be one of the greatest challenges facing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge managers.

It seems that is a pretty narrow area where you can act.

It is my intention to keep the hearing in session.

Senator Nelson is especially interested in addressing specific threats to the unique wildlife and ecosystems of his home State of Florida.

We do know that it is related to human activity, and we need to talk about that.

I know that Senator Lautenberg will be talking about the bats, a keystone species in the food web.

It's time for the Federal Government to step up and address this ecological crisis.

So it is more of a management issue than an eradication issue?

If the Chinese mitten crab is going to be competing with that, it could complicate the survival of the blue crab in Maryland.