[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2040 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2040

  To designate the Atlantic striped bass as the National Fish of the 
                             United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2015

Mr. MacArthur introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To designate the Atlantic striped bass as the National Fish of the 
                             United States.

    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 ``Striped Bass American Heritage 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS AS NATIONAL FISH OF THE 
              UNITED STATES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The striped bass, Morone saxatilis, is an anadromous 
        species, frequenting and requiring both fresh water and salt 
        water throughout its life.
            (2) The Atlantic striped bass has played an important role 
        in the development and growth of the United States.
            (3) The Atlantic striped bass is identified as playing a 
        pivotal role in providing the Pilgrims of the Plymouth Colony 
        sustenance in 1620.
            (4) The Nation's first fishing conservation law was enacted 
        in 1639, pertaining to the use of Atlantic striped bass.
            (5) The Nation's first free public school was funded with 
        income derived from the income accrued from Atlantic striped 
        bass in 1670.
            (6) Atlantic striped bass from the Navesink River in New 
        Jersey were transported west to San Francisco Bay via railway 
        car in 1879 during the country's great expansion west.
            (7) Atlantic striped bass spawn in freshwater, the success 
        of which is influenced by environmental conditions, habitat, 
        and water conditions.
            (8) Widespread pollution of coastal estuaries and rivers 
        and overfishing in the 1960s and 1970s lead to dramatic decline 
        of the Atlantic striped bass population and the passage of the 
        Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act in 1984 (16 U.S.C 5151 
        et seq.).
            (9) Through Executive Order 13449, issued on October 24, 
        2007, Atlantic striped bass in Federal waters were afforded 
        protection from sale.
            (10) The Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act is a 
        regional management success due in part to the moratorium 
        authority vested in both the Secretary of Commerce and the 
        Secretary of the Interior who can declare jointly a moratorium 
        on fishing for Atlantic striped bass within the coastal waters 
        of any coastal State if the Secretaries determine that coastal 
        State to be out of compliance with any regulatory measures 
        necessary to fully implement and enforce the Atlantic striped 
        bass management plan within its coastal waters.
            (11) The Atlantic striped bass population responded 
        positively to management measures and improvements to water 
        quality, and was therefore declared rebuilt in 1995.
            (12) The Atlantic striped bass supports significant and 
        sustainable commercial and recreational fisheries that provide 
        income, employment, and food.
            (13) The Atlantic striped bass, through its resilience and 
        persistence, represents the American ideals and spirit that 
        helped shaped the Nation.
    (b) Declaration.--The Atlantic striped bass, Morone saxatilis, is 
designated as the National Fish of the United States.
                                 <all>