Sea lion bill passes U.S. House On June 26 The United States House of Representatives approved HR-2083, a bill sponsored by Washington Representative Jaime Herrera-Beutler (R-Battle Ground). The bill amends Section 120 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to authorize the NOAA to issue permits to the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, as well as the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and other tribal entities to kill problem sea lions in the Columbia River or its tributaries. The bill was amended slightly before approval to require that only sea lions be killed and not other pinnipeds, and to mandate that the Secretary of the Interior produce a report to Congress on the potential impact of the lethal taking of California Sea Lions on the recovery of Salmonid stocks. HR-2083, or The Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act, is supported by the governors of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The permits may be issued only if the sea lions are part of a population that is not depleted.