[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7387 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7387

 To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to 
 benefit coastal habitats, resiliency, and the economy, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2020

   Ms. Mucarsel-Powell (for herself, Mr. Young, Mr. Cunningham, Ms. 
   Bonamici, Mr. Case, Mr. Huffman, and Mr. Grijalva) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
   Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and 
   Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to 
 benefit coastal habitats, resiliency, and the economy, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Shovel-Ready Restoration Grants for 
Coastlines and Fisheries Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR COASTAL RESILIENCY.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program 
to provide funding and technical assistance to eligible entities for 
purposes of carrying out a project described in subsection (d)
    (b) Project Proposal.--To be considered for a grant under this 
section, an eligible entity shall submit a grant proposal to the 
Secretary in a time, place, and manner determined by the Secretary. 
Such proposal shall include monitoring, data collection, and measurable 
performance criteria with respect to the project.
    (c) Development of Criteria.--The Secretary shall select eligible 
entities to receive grants under this section based on criteria 
developed by the Secretary, in consultation with relevant offices of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, such as the Office 
of Habitat Conservation and the Office for Coastal Management.
    (d) Eligible Projects.--A project is described by this section if--
            (1) the purpose of the project is to restore a marine, 
        estuarine, coastal, or Great Lake habitat, including--
                    (A) restoration of habitat to protect or recover a 
                species that is threatened, endangered, or a species of 
                concern under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
                U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
                    (B) through the removal or remediation of marine 
                debris, including derelict vessels and fishing gear, in 
                coastal and marine habitats;
                    (C) for the benefit of--
                            (i) shellfish;
                            (ii) fish, including diadromous fish; or
                            (iii) coral reef; or
            (2) provides adaptation to climate change, including by 
        constructing or protecting ecological features or green 
        infrastructure that protects coastal communities from sea level 
        rise, coastal storms, or flooding, and blue carbon projects.
    (e) Priority.--In determining which projects to fund under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to a proposed project--
            (1) that would stimulate the economy;
            (2) for which the applicant can demonstrate that the grant 
        will fund work that will begin not more than 90 days after the 
        date of the award;
            (3) for which the applicant can demonstrate that the grant 
        will fund work that will employ fishermen who have been 
        negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or pay a fisherman 
        for the use of a fishing vessel;
            (4) for which the applicant can demonstrate that any 
        preliminary study or permit required before the project can 
        begin has been completed or can be completed shortly after an 
        award is made; or
            (5) which include communities that may not have adequate 
        resources including low income communities, communities of 
        color, Tribal communities, and rural communities.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $3,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 to the Secretary of 
Commerce to carry out this section to remain available until expended.
    (g) Definitions.--
            (1) Eligible entity.--In this Act, ``eligible entity'' 
        means a nonprofit, a for-profit business, an institution of 
        higher education (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), or a 
        State, local, Tribal, or territorial government.
            (2) Fishermen.--The term ``fisherman'' means a commercial 
        or for-hire fisherman or an oyster farmer.
            (3) Secretary.--In this section, the term ``Secretary'' 
        means the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
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