[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 209 (Thursday, December 10, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7119-H7121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  0945
                   YOUNG FISHERMEN'S DEVELOPMENT ACT

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1240) to preserve United States fishing heritage through a 
national program dedicated to training and assisting the next 
generation of commercial fishermen, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1240

       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 ``Young Fishermen's 
     Development Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Sea grant institution.--The term ``Sea Grant 
     Institution'' means a sea grant college or sea grant 
     institute, as those terms are defined in section 203 of the 
     National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1122).
       (2) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization'' 
     has the meaning given the term ``tribal organization'' in 
     section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
     Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
       (3) Young fisherman.--The term ``young fisherman'' means an 
     individual who--
       (A) desires to participate in the commercial fisheries of 
     the United States, including the Great Lakes fisheries;
       (B) has worked as a captain, crew member, or deckhand on a 
     commercial fishing vessel for not more than 10 years of 
     cumulative service; or
       (C) is a beginning commercial fisherman.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

       The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the National Sea 
     Grant Office, shall establish a program to provide training, 
     education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for 
     young fishermen, to be known as the ``Young Fishermen's 
     Development Grant Program'' (referred to in this section as 
     the ``Program'').

     SEC. 4. GRANTS.

       (a) In General.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary 
     shall make competitive grants to support new and established 
     local and regional training, education, outreach, and 
     technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen, 
     including programs, workshops, and services relating to--
       (1) seamanship, navigation, electronics, and safety;
       (2) vessel and engine care, maintenance, and repair;

[[Page H7120]]

       (3) innovative conservation fishing gear engineering and 
     technology;
       (4) sustainable fishing practices;
       (5) entrepreneurship and good business practices;
       (6) direct marketing, supply chain, and traceability;
       (7) financial and risk management, including vessel, 
     permit, and quota purchasing;
       (8) State and Federal legal requirements for specific 
     fisheries, including reporting, monitoring, licenses, and 
     regulations;
       (9) State and Federal fisheries policy and management;
       (10) mentoring, apprenticeships, or internships; and
       (11) any other activities, opportunities, or programs, as 
     the Secretary determines appropriate.
       (b) Eligibility.--
       (1) Applicants.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     the Program, a recipient shall be a collaborative State, 
     Tribal, local, or regionally based network or partnership of 
     public or private entities, which may include--
       (A) a Sea Grant Institution;
       (B) a Federal or State agency or a Tribal organization;
       (C) a community-based nongovernmental organization;
       (D) fishermen's cooperatives or associations;
       (E) an institution of higher education (including an 
     institution awarding an associate's degree), or a foundation 
     maintained by an institution of higher education; or
       (F) any other appropriate entity, as the Secretary 
     determines appropriate.
       (2) Participants.--All young fishermen seeking to 
     participate in the commercial fisheries of the United States 
     and the Great Lakes are eligible to participate in the 
     activities funded through grants provided for in this 
     section, except that participants in such activities shall be 
     selected by each grant recipient.
       (c) Maximum Term and Amount of Grant.--
       (1) In general.--A grant under this section shall--
       (A) have a term of no more than 3 fiscal years; and
       (B) be in an amount that is not more than $200,000 for each 
     fiscal year.
       (2) Consecutive grants.--An eligible recipient may receive 
     consecutive grants under this section.
       (d) Matching Requirement.--To be eligible to receive a 
     grant under this section, a recipient shall provide a match 
     in the form of cash or in-kind contributions from the 
     recipient in the amount equal to or greater than 25 percent 
     of the funds provided by the grant.
       (e) Regional Balance.--In making grants under this section, 
     the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
     ensure geographic diversity.
       (f) Cooperation and Evaluation Criteria.--In carrying out 
     this section and in developing criteria for evaluating grant 
     applications, the Secretary shall consult, to the maximum 
     extent practicable, with--
       (1) Sea Grant Institutions and extension agents of such 
     institutions;
       (2) community-based nongovernmental fishing organizations;
       (3) Federal and State agencies, including Regional Fishery 
     Management Councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens 
     Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 et 
     seq.);
       (4) institutions of higher education with fisheries 
     expertise and programs; and
       (5) partners, as the Secretary determines.
       (g) Prohibition.--A grant under this section may not be 
     used to purchase any fishing license, permit, quota, or other 
     harvesting right.

     SEC. 5. FUNDING.

       (a) Authorizations.--There are authorized to be 
     appropriated to carry out this Act $2,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
       (b) Derivation.--Funds to carry out the activities under 
     this Act shall be derived from amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated pursuant to the preceding subsection that are 
     enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Huffman) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill comes to us from Congressman   Don Young, but 
it is called the Young Fisherman Development Act because it is all 
about fostering the business skills and development of young people in 
this industry. It is one of many reasons why I am proud to support this 
bill, which passed out of the Natural Resources Committee by unanimous 
consent.
  I am grateful to our colleague from Alaska for sponsoring it. This 
bipartisan bill to assist fishing communities builds on the example of 
bipartisan ocean bills that we have passed in the House these past few 
weeks, including the Sea Grant reauthorization. I am proud to have led 
that effort and look forward to seeing it signed into law soon.
  It is difficult for many young men and women to get started in the 
commercial fishing industry these days. That was the case even before 
the pandemic. Entry-level positions are challenging to find. For those 
who are attempting to start up on their own, there are staggering 
obstacles to overcome: boats, licenses, docking fees, and numerous 
other expenses that pose a high cost of entry and lots of financial 
risks.
  To compound all of these difficulties, we have the pandemic, which 
has forced so many restaurants to close, upending the entire 
distribution system for seafood, severely impacting the industry and 
further straining young fishermen and -women.
  Like Congressman Young, I represent many fishing communities. I have 
heard firsthand from those in my district and across the country about 
the barriers the young entrants face when starting off in the 
commercial fishing industry. Supporting this new generation will help 
ensure that our country's rich coastal heritage and seafood economies 
continue to thrive.
  This bill fosters a new generation in the American commercial fishing 
industry, doing several things by creating a national grant program 
through NOAA Sea Grant to support training, education, and workforce 
development. Under this program, universities, fishing associations, 
Tribes, and others can compete for grant funding. They can use those 
funds to train young commercial fishermen and -women in business 
practices and sustainable fishing.
  This program will help teach skills in navigation; electronics; 
vessel and engine care; technology and engineering related to 
conservation fishing gear; direct marketing, supply chain, and 
traceability; financial and risk management; and much more.
  It is a very important bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. 
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Huffman, for his 
support of this bill. He made some great points in favor of it, and I 
acknowledge and appreciate that.
  I commend Congressman   Don Young from Alaska for his tireless 
commitment to our fishermen.   Don Young is the dean of the House, 
having served longer than any other of the 435 Members of Congress.
  Research funded by Alaska Sea Grant found that the average age of 
Alaskan fishers was over 50 years old, an increase of more than 10 
years over the past generation.
  Young commercial fishermen are facing increasing challenges, such as 
barriers to entry and limited training opportunities, not to mention 
that U.S. fisheries are among the most highly regulated, monitored, and 
enforced fisheries in the world.
  While NOAA has stated it has existing programs that address some of 
these concerns, no one program is dedicated to training, educating, and 
assisting the next generation of commercial fishermen. This bill 
addresses that deficiency.
  Again, I thank Congressman Young for his leadership on these issues.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1240, the 
Young Fishermen's Development Act. I would like to start off by 
thanking Senator Lisa Murkowski, and Dan Sullivan, along with 
Congresswoman Radewagen, Congressman Moulton, and everyone else who was 
involved in this legislation. Their hard work and dedication to the 
next generation of commercial fishermen is commendable.
  Currently, there is no single federal program dedicated to training, 
educating, and assisting

[[Page H7121]]

the next generation of commercial fishermen. However, the need for such 
a program is very real. Daunting challenges, including the high cost of 
entry, financial risks, and limited entry-level opportunities, have 
made it harder than ever for young men and women to start a career in 
commercial fishing.
  That is why we have introduced H.R. 1240, the Young Fishermen's 
Development Act, which is modeled after the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program. Our 
legislation seeks to support our nation's aspiring commercial fishermen 
by creating a competitive grant program at NOAA to support local 
training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives.
  The bill would provide funding to entities that offer instruction in 
seamanship, navigation, electronics, safety, vessel maintenance, 
entrepreneurship, sustainable fishing, and other efforts related to the 
commercial fishing business. The heritage and economies of America's 
coastal communities are directly linked to our fisheries.
  Help us ensure that the next generation of commercial fishermen is 
well prepared to sustainably harvest America's seafood by breaking down 
the many barriers facing young fishermen, I strongly support this 
bipartisan legislation and encourage all my colleagues to join me.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1240, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________