{"format":1,"id":"119-hr-4294","congress":119,"number":"H.R. 4294","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"MAWS Act of 2026","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a pilot program with respect to the sale of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a pilot program with respect to the sale of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"MAWS Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"MAWS Act of 2026"},{"type":"Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text","title":"To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a pilot program with respect to the sale of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed."},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"MAWS Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"MAWS Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"MAWS Act of 2025"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2025"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2025-07-07","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2026-03-17","vote":{"id":"119-2026-h88","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"MAWS Act","result":"Passed","yea":320,"nay":66,"present":0,"not_voting":45,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2026/roll088.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"pending","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"not_yet","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.","date":"2026-03-18"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2026-02-23","stage":"Reported to House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026 or the MAWS Act of 2026"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a pilot program to facilitate the purchase of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. (Blue catfish are considered an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay.)"},{"k":"p","t":"Under the program, NOAA must enter into cooperative agreements with manufacturers or processors of pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed for the purchase of blue catfish from watermen and seafood processors. NOAA must determine the minimum price per pound after considering market factors; feedback from watermen, seafood processors, and participants in the program; and differentiation of price points for fillet and byproduct."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also requires NOAA to enter into a memorandum of understanding with nonfederal partners to develop abundance estimates of blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. NOAA must make the first abundance estimate publicly available before beginning the pilot program."}],"words":157},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Directs the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to carry out a pilot program in which makers of pet food, animal feed and aquaculture feed enter cooperative agreements to buy blue catfish caught in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh#H94844EA8FBA04EBD9D952DBE81160423"}]},"core_areas":["Blue catfish purchase pilot program in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed","Minimum price per pound for blue catfish sold under the pilot program","Blue catfish abundance estimates","Reports and briefings to Congress on the pilot program"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a pilot program of cooperative agreements with persons who manufacture or process pet food, animal feed or aquaculture feed, to buy blue catfish from watermen and from seafood processors.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh#H94844EA8FBA04EBD9D952DBE81160423"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to determine a minimum price per pound for blue catfish sold under the program, taking into consideration market factors, feedback from participants if available, and differentiation of price points for fillet and byproduct.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh#H94844EA8FBA04EBD9D952DBE81160423"}},{"text":"Allows an entity with a cooperative agreement to use not more than 15 percent of the amounts awarded to offset the cost of transporting the blue catfish to manufacturing or processing facilities.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh#H94844EA8FBA04EBD9D952DBE81160423"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to seek a memorandum of understanding with Maryland, Virginia and research institutions within 180 days, and to publish an annual blue catfish abundance estimate on the NOAA website by September 30, 2027 through fiscal year 2032.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh#H94844EA8FBA04EBD9D952DBE81160423"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to issue guidance for the program within 1 year, and sets the program to run for 2 years starting the fiscal year after the later of the first public abundance estimate or the guidance.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh#H94844EA8FBA04EBD9D952DBE81160423"}},{"text":"Requires quarterly briefings to two congressional committees starting 90 days after enactment, and a report to Congress within 180 days after the program ends, covering catch data, economic effects on watermen, and policy recommendations.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh#H94844EA8FBA04EBD9D952DBE81160423"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2026-03-17","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-03","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/119-hr-4294.png","v":"7fed47485df0","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 4294, 119th Congress: MAWS Act of 2026. House: 320 Yea, 66 Nay. Senate: not yet considered. Outcome: Passed House, 17 Mar 2026."}}