3.0.0 4294 2026-03-21T03:53:21Z 2026-03-21T03:53:21Z House H HR 2025-07-07 119 https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4294 [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 116 (Monday, July 7, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Ms. ELFRETH:H.R. 4294.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Necessary and Proper Clause (Art. 1, Sec. 8, Cl. 18)[Page H3194]]]> sscm00 Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Senate Standing Referred To 2026-03-18T16:31:24Z hsii00 Natural Resources Committee House Standing hsii13 Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Hearings By (subcommittee) 2025-07-22T18:31:01Z Referred to 2025-07-16T15:11:17Z Reported By 2026-02-23T20:36:29Z Markup By 2026-01-22T17:00:00Z Discharged from 2026-01-22T16:00:00Z Referred To 2025-07-07T14:00:05Z H. Rept. 119-510 2026-03-18 sscm00 Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Senate Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. IntroReferral 2026-03-17 15:37:36 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. Floor H38310 2 House floor actions 2026-03-17 15:37:35 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 320 - 66 (Roll no. 88). Floor H37300 2 House floor actions 88 https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2026/roll088.xml House 119 2026-03-17T19:37:35Z 2 2026-03-17 15:37:35 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 320 - 66 (Roll no. 88). Floor 8000 9 Library of Congress 88 https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2026/roll088.xml House 119 2026-03-17T19:37:35Z 2 2026-03-17 15:01:01 Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2545) Floor H30000 2 House floor actions 2026-03-16 17:09:51 At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed. Floor H37220 2 House floor actions 2026-03-16 16:53:06 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4294. Floor H8D000 2 House floor actions 2026-03-16 16:53:05 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2516-2519; text: CR H2516-2517) Floor H30000 2 House floor actions 2026-03-16 16:53:01 Mr. Wittman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. Floor H30300 2 House floor actions 2026-02-23 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 436. Calendars H12410 2 House floor actions U00436 2026-02-23 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-510. Committee H12200 2 House floor actions hsii00 Natural Resources Committee 2026-02-23 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-510. Committee 5000 9 Library of Congress hsii00 Natural Resources Committee 2026-01-22 hsii00 Natural Resources Committee 1 House committee actions Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent. Committee 2026-01-22 hsii00 Natural Resources Committee 1 House committee actions Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held Committee 2026-01-22 hsii00 Natural Resources Committee 1 House committee actions Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged Committee 2025-07-22 hsii13 Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee 1 House committee actions Subcommittee Hearings Held Committee 2025-07-16 hsii13 Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee 1 House committee actions Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. Committee 2025-07-07 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. IntroReferral H11100 2 House floor actions hsii00 Natural Resources Committee 2025-07-07 Introduced in House IntroReferral Intro-H 9 Library of Congress 2025-07-07 Introduced in House IntroReferral 1000 9 Library of Congress E000301 Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3] Sarah Elfreth D MD 3 N W000804 Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] Robert Wittman R VA J. 1 2025-07-07 True K000399 Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2] Jennifer Kiggans R VA A. 2 2025-07-07 True H000874 Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5] Steny Hoyer D MD H. 5 2025-07-07 True I000058 Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4] Glenn Ivey D MD 4 2025-07-16 False M001232 Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] April McClain Delaney D MD 6 2025-07-16 False O000176 Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2] Johnny Olszewski D MD 2 2025-07-17 False M000687 Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7] Kweisi Mfume D MD 7 2025-07-22 False S000185 Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] Robert Scott D VA C. "Bobby" 3 2025-08-01 False M001228 Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2] Celeste Maloy R UT 2 2026-01-15 False G000565 Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9] Paul Gosar R AZ A. 9 2026-01-16 False Public Lands and Natural Resources Chesapeake Bay 2025-08-27T13:02:29Z Congressional oversight 2025-08-27T13:02:48Z Delaware 2025-08-27T13:02:54Z District of Columbia 2025-08-27T13:03:38Z Fishes 2025-08-27T13:02:00Z Food industry and services 2025-08-27T13:03:45Z Food supply, safety, and labeling 2025-08-27T13:02:41Z Marine and coastal resources, fisheries 2025-08-27T13:02:13Z Maryland 2025-08-27T13:03:01Z New York State 2025-08-27T13:03:09Z Pennsylvania 2025-08-27T13:03:16Z Seafood 2025-08-27T13:02:06Z Virginia 2025-08-27T13:03:23Z Watersheds 2025-08-27T13:02:34Z West Virginia 2025-08-27T13:03:31Z Wildlife conservation and habitat protection 2025-08-27T13:02:20Z Public Lands and Natural Resources 2026-03-20T15:18:22Z 07 2026-02-23 Reported to House 2026-03-16T10:35:29Z Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026 or the MAWS Act of 2026

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.)

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. 

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. 

]]> MAWS Act of 2026 Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text 255 Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026 2026-03-21T03:53:21Z S Senate Referred in Senate RFS Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text 255 MAWS Act of 2026 2026-03-21T03:53:21Z S Senate Referred in Senate RFS Short Title(s) as Passed House 104 MAWS Act of 2026 2026-03-19T03:23:25Z H House Engrossed in House EH Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text 259 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. 2026-03-19T03:23:25Z H House Engrossed in House EH Short Title(s) as Passed House 104 Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026 2026-03-19T03:23:25Z H House Engrossed in House EH Display Title 45 MAWS Act of 2026 2026-02-24T05:23:23Z Short Title(s) as Reported to House 102 MAWS Act of 2026 2026-02-24T05:23:22Z H House Reported in House RH Short Title(s) as Reported to House 102 Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026 2026-02-24T05:23:22Z H House Reported in House RH Official Title as Introduced 6 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. 2025-07-22T04:31:26Z Introduced in House IH Short Title(s) as Introduced 101 MAWS Act of 2025 2025-07-22T04:23:24Z Introduced in House IH Short Title(s) as Introduced 101 Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2025 2025-07-22T04:23:24Z Introduced in House IH Referred in Senate 2026-03-18T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr4294rfs/xml/BILLS-119hr4294rfs.xml Engrossed in House 2026-03-17T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr4294eh/xml/BILLS-119hr4294eh.xml Reported in House 2026-02-23T05:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr4294rh/xml/BILLS-119hr4294rh.xml Introduced in House 2025-07-07T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr4294ih/xml/BILLS-119hr4294ih.xml 2026-03-18 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.