[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H5584-H5586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED ADVANCEMENT FOR TRAINING, EDUCATION,
RESTORATION, AND SCIENCE (WATERS) ACT
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6893) to reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Office of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6893
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 ``Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science
(WATERS) Act''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION CHESAPEAKE BAY OFFICE.
Section 307 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (15 U.S.C. 1511d) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``(in this section'' and
all that follows and inserting a period;
(B) in paragraph (2), to read as follows:
``(2) The Office shall be headed by a Director, who--
``(A) shall have knowledge and experience in research or
resource management efforts in the Chesapeake Bay; and
``(B) shall be responsible for the administration and
operation of the Office and the implementation of this
section.''; and
(C) by striking paragraph (3);
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Secretary of Commerce''
and inserting ``Administrator'';
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by inserting ``with and represent'' after
``coordinate'';
(ii) by striking ``, the Chesapeake Bay Regional Sea Grant
Programs, and the Chesapeake Bay units of the National
Estuarine Research Reserve System,'' and inserting ``for the
Chesapeake Bay Program and that relate to the Chesapeake Bay
watershed in furtherance of such Administration's coastal
resource stewardship mission,'';
(iii) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) in clauses (vi) and (vii), by striking ``and'' at the
end; and
(II) by adding at the end the following:
``(viii) coastal hazards; and
``(ix) education; and''; and
(iv) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(II) in clause (iv), by inserting ``and'' after the
semicolon; and
(III) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) integrated ecosystem assessments;'';
(C) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``Environmental Protection Agency'' and
inserting ``Chesapeake Executive Council''; and
(ii) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the
following: ``as appropriate to further the purposes of this
section'';
(D) by striking paragraphs (5) and (7);
(E) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5); and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) perform any functions necessary to support the
programs referred to in paragraph (3).'';
(3) by striking subsections (c), (d), and (e); and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Program Activities.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator, acting through the
Director, shall implement the program activities authorized
by this section to support the activity of the Chesapeake
Executive Council and to further the purposes of this
section.
``(2) Ensuring scientific and technical merit.--The
Director shall--
``(A) establish and use an effective and transparent
mechanism to ensure that projects funded under this section
have undergone appropriate peer review; and
``(B) provide other appropriate means to determine that
such projects have acceptable scientific and technical merit
for the purpose of achieving maximum use of available funds
and resources to benefit the Chesapeake Bay area.
``(3) Consultation with chesapeake executive council.--The
Director shall, in the implementation of the program
activities authorized under this section, consult with the
Chesapeake Executive Council, to ensure that the activities
of the Office are consistent with the purposes and priorities
of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement and plans developed pursuant
to the such agreement.
``(4) Integrated coastal observations.--
``(A) In general.--The Administrator, acting through the
Director, may collaborate with scientific and academic
institutions, State and Federal agencies, nongovernmental
organizations, and other constituents in the Chesapeake Bay
watershed to support an integrated observations system for
the Chesapeake Bay consistent with the purposes of the
Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009
(33 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).
``(B) Specific requirements.--To support the system
referred to in subparagraph (A) and provide a complete set of
environmental information for the Chesapeake Bay, the
Director shall--
``(i) coordinate monitoring with Federal and State agencies
in the tidal portions of the Chesapeake Bay to understand
impacts of water quality on living marine resources;
``(ii) identify new data collection needs and deploy new
technologies, as appropriate;
``(iii) collect and analyze the scientific information
necessary for the management of living marine resources and
the marine habitat associated with such resources; and
``(iv) organize the information described in clause (iii)
into products that are useful to policy makers, resource
managers, scientists, and the public.
``(C) Chesapeake bay interpretive buoy system.--To further
the development and implementation of the Chesapeake Bay
Interpretive Buoy System and associated monitoring assets to
improve weather and ecological forecasts, monitor habitat
conditions for living marine resources, the Director may--
``(i) support the establishment and implementation of the
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail;
``(ii) delineate key waypoints along the trail and provide
appropriate real-time data and information for trail users;
``(iii) interpret data and information for use by educators
and students to inspire stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay;
and
``(iv) incorporate the observational data from the
Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System into the Integrated
Ocean Observing System regional observing system network.
``(5) Chesapeake bay watershed education and training
program.--
``(A) In general.--The Administrator, acting through the
Director, may establish a Chesapeake Bay watershed education
and training program. The program shall--
``(i) continue and expand the Chesapeake Bay watershed
education programs offered by the Office immediately before
the enactment of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for
Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act;
``(ii) improve the understanding of elementary and
secondary school students and teachers of the living
resources of the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay;
``(iii) provide education and career pathway internships;
and
``(iv) meet the educational goals of the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed Agreement.
``(B) Grant program.--The Director may award grants for the
purposes of this paragraph. Grants awarded under this
subparagraph may be used to support education and training
projects that enhance understanding and assessment of a
specific environmental problem in the Chesapeake Bay
watershed or a goal of the Chesapeake Bay Program, or protect
or restore living resources of the Chesapeake Bay watershed,
including projects that--
``(i) provide classroom education, including the
development and use of distance learning and other innovative
technologies, related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed;
``(ii) provide meaningful watershed educational experiences
in the Chesapeake Bay watershed;
``(iii) provide professional development for teachers
related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the dissemination
of pertinent education materials oriented to varying grade
levels;
``(iv) demonstrate or disseminate environmental educational
tools and materials related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed;
``(v) demonstrate field methods, practices, and techniques
including assessment of environmental and ecological
conditions and analysis of environmental problems; and
``(vi) build the capacity of school districts and their
partners to deliver high quality environmental education
programs.
``(C) Coordination.--The Director shall implement the
education and training program in coordination with the heads
of other Federal agencies, as the Director determines
appropriate.
``(6) Coastal and living resources management and habitat
program.--
``(A) In general.--The Administrator, acting through the
Director, may establish a Chesapeake Bay Coastal Living
Resources Management and Habitat Program to support
coordinated management, protection, characterization, and
restoration of priority Chesapeake Bay habitats and living
resources, including oysters, blue crabs, salt marshes,
submerged aquatic vegetation, and economically and
ecologically important fish species such as striped bass and
menhaden.
``(B) Activities.--Under the Chesapeake Bay Coastal Living
Resources Management and Habitat Program, the Director may
[[Page H5585]]
carry out or enter into grants, contracts, and cooperative
agreements and provide technical assistance to support--
``(i) native oyster research and restoration;
``(ii) fish and shellfish aquaculture that is carried out
in accordance with a valid Federal or State permit;
``(iii) establishment of submerged aquatic vegetation
restoration programs;
``(iv) the development of programs that restore, protect,
and build the resilience of critical coastal habitats and
communities;
``(v) habitat mapping, characterization, and assessment
techniques necessary to identify, assess, and monitor
Chesapeake Bay conditions and restoration actions;
``(vi) application and transfer of applied scientific
research and ecosystem management tools to fisheries and
habitat managers;
``(vii) collection, synthesis, and sharing of information
to inform and influence coastal and living resource
management issues;
``(viii) ecologically and economically important fish and
shellfish research; and
``(ix) other activities that the director determines are
appropriate to carry out the purposes of such program.
``(d) Delegation.--
``(1) Authority.--The Administrator shall delegate to the
Director such authority as may be necessary to carry out this
section.
``(2) Staff.--The Administrator shall assign to the
Director appropriate staff representing expertise that covers
the breadth of the duties of the Office.
``(e) Reports.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator, acting through the
Director, shall submit a biennial report to the Committee on
Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate, and the Secretary of Commerce on the activities of
the Office and on progress made in protecting and restoring
the living resources and habitat of the Chesapeake Bay.
``(2) Action plan.--Each such report shall include an
action plan for the 2-year period following submission of the
report, consisting of--
``(A) a list of recommended research, monitoring, and data
collection activities necessary to continue implementation of
the strategy under subsection (b)(2); and
``(B) recommendations to integrate National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration activities with the activities of
the partners in the Chesapeake Bay Program to meet the
commitments of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement and subsequent
agreements.
``(f) Agreements.--The Administrator, acting through the
Director, may enter into and perform such contracts, leases,
grants, or cooperative agreements as may be necessary to
carry out the purposes of this Act.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
``(2) Chesapeake bay agreement; chesapeake bay ecosystem;
chesapeake bay program; chesapeake executive council.--The
terms `Chesapeake Bay Agreement', `Chesapeake Bay ecosystem',
`Chesapeake Bay Program', and `Chesapeake Executive Council'
have the meanings given those terms in section 117(a) of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1267(a)).
``(3) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of
the Office.
``(4) Office.--The term `Office' means the Chesapeake Bay
Office established under this section.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms.
Elfreth) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on H.R. 6893, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arkansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay
WATERS Act.
The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most important resources in the mid-
Atlantic region, including for the commercial seafood sector and the
recreational boating and fishing community. I know that my colleague
from Maryland (Ms. Elfreth) feels even more so about that statement.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Chesapeake Bay
Office is an important partner for the Chesapeake Bay region by
contributing scientific research, protecting habitat, and advancing
oyster restoration.
H.R. 6893 reauthorizes this office and several of its training and
workforce programs. It also requires the office to submit a report to
the Secretary of Commerce and Congress on its progress in conserving
the Chesapeake Bay and the ways NOAA can work with other Chesapeake Bay
Program partners.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6893 is, in fact, near and dear to my heart and to
my district. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is one of our Nation's most
priceless natural resources.
Mr. Speaker, 18 million people live in the watershed, which is shared
by six States and the District of Columbia. The Chesapeake Bay
supports, as was said, fishing, tourism, real estate, and countless
industries, generating billions of dollars in economic activity each
year. It is, frankly, essential to the culture of those six States and
the District.
The bay is also a critical habitat for many keystone species. Its
oyster reefs, seagrass meadows, and marshes protect nearby communities
from coastal hazards and provide critical nurseries for fish and
wildlife. You will even spot a few dolphins hanging out there.
As a co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Task Force, I was proud to co-
lead H.R. 6893 to reauthorize key, science-backed programs at NOAA's
Chesapeake Bay Office, which is headquartered near my office in
Annapolis, Maryland. This bill would better position the office to
collaborate with universities, nonprofits, and other stakeholders in
carrying out science, monitoring, and observation activities.
The bill also strengthens collaboration by supporting the coordinated
management and conservation of Chesapeake Bay habitats, fish, and
wildlife, ensuring that limited Federal resources are used as
effectively as possible.
Finally, the bill would, for the first time, authorize the Chesapeake
Bay Watershed Education and Training program, otherwise known
affectionately as B-WET, which provides grants for environmental
education and watershed restoration experiences for local school kids.
Reauthorizing this office in the Chesapeake Bay will help maintain a
steady Federal presence within the region's collaborative scientific
infrastructure, benefiting the six States and the District of Columbia.
We must ensure that the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed remain
abundant, healthy resources for generations to come.
If you talk to folks back in my district, they will say that the bay
transcends politics, and it is almost like a religion. I could not
agree more.
I applaud Representative Scott and the bipartisan Chesapeake Bay
delegation not just for their dedication to this bill but for their
dedication throughout every President and tumultuous politics to remain
steady and steadfast in our support of this program.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6893, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), someone who is also
passionate about the Chesapeake Bay, fisheries, and clean water.
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
6893, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act, and I am very proud to co-lead
this bipartisan bill with Representative Kiggans.
The Chesapeake Bay is one of our Nation's most important natural
resources, and this bill will ensure the bay remains healthy for
generations to come.
H.R. 6893 reauthorizes the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program office, which
has been a leading partner in bay restoration efforts. Working
alongside universities, State and local governments, and other
stakeholders, this office supports the science and coordination
necessary to understand the health of the bay and make informed
decisions about the future.
Importantly, this bill supports the observation, monitoring,
collection, and analysis of marine resource data, an area I was
committed to for over 27 years with the Commonwealth of Virginia. That
information is used by policymakers, resource managers, and the
[[Page H5586]]
public to better understand and protect the bay and its living
resources.
{time} 1750
The bill also supports training and education programs, and
strengthens coordinated efforts to manage, protect, and restore bay
habitats and living resources.
For communities across Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay is far more than
a natural resource. It is part of our way of life. It supports our
watermen, farmers, small businesses, and families throughout the
Commonwealth.
The bay is a major economic driver, supporting tens of thousands of
jobs and generating billions of dollars in economic activity.
Protecting the bay means protecting those jobs, strengthening our local
economies, and preserving the natural resources that our communities
depend upon.
By continuing to invest in sound science, monitoring, education, and
coordinated restoration efforts, we can ensure the Chesapeake Bay
remains healthy for generations to come.
This is truly a Federal role because this truly is what interstate
commerce is all about. The bay is that economic engine that involves
all of the States in the bay watershed. It is our responsibility as a
group of States to make sure we continue to improve the water quality
there and, in turn, the economic resources that come to us from the
bay.
The bay is an incredible economic driver for the seafood and tourism
economies. All of those things are key. The Chesapeake Bay Program
Office allows us to coordinate and make sure that all of us in the bay
watershed are doing our part to make sure the bay continues to get
cleaner and cleaner.
I am very proud to support this bipartisan effort to protect one of
our Nation's most vital resources, and I encourage my colleagues to
vote in support of H.R. 6893.
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, we brought out half the Bay Caucus for this
effort, and I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Scott), the sponsor of the bill.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding. I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 6893, the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education,
Restoration, and Science, the WATERS Act.
The Chesapeake Bay is a natural treasure and a critical resource for
the millions of Americans who live within its watershed, including my
constituents in Hampton Roads. The Chesapeake Bay's fisheries sustain
the region's centuries-old fisheries and seafood industry, which
generates about $8 billion in economic activity every year. The bay's
unparalleled recreational opportunities not only support tens of
thousands of jobs and generate more than $14 billion annually, but are
also critical to the well-being and happiness of all that live
throughout the watershed.
The Federal Government has helped our efforts to restore and protect
the bay by devoting the resources and staff of multiple departments and
agencies, including NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office. This office provides
scientific and technical support to government, industry, and
nonprofits with the goal of advancing strategies that improve the
health of the Chesapeake Bay. This is an effort that has been going on
for decades. We are making slow but steady progress.
Among its many responsibilities, NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office manages
the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System that provides researchers
and watermen with near real-time data on weather and water quality
conditions. The Chesapeake Bay Office also oversees the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed Education and Training, or B-WET, program. This competitive
grant program supports environmental education opportunities throughout
the watershed that not only teach students about the bay but also
connect them to it through experiential programming.
The Chesapeake Bay Waters Act reauthorizes NOAA's Chesapeake Bay
Office. This ensures the agency can continue supporting the goals of
the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and restoring the Chesapeake
Bay. My bill also authorizes the Chesapeake B-WET program for the first
time in its history, ensuring that future generations can continue to
engage with the Chesapeake Bay.
I thank my fellow co-leads, Virginia Representatives Wittman and
Kiggans and Maryland Representative Elfreth, for their support of this
legislation. I thank Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Huffman for
their leadership in getting this bill to the House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill.
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
I could go on and on, but I know we have one last bill.
Representative Scott got it right: It has been slow and steady progress
since 1983, before I was even born, to make sure that we not just
protect and preserve for future generations, but take strides to be a
model as we have been in the Chesapeake Bay region for other
watersheds, not just in the United States but across the world.
Mr. Speaker, there is so much more work to do. This bill reauthorizes
that work. Again, I thank my bipartisan colleagues for prioritizing not
just this bill but this program within the budget itself. I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank everybody for their bipartisan
support on H.R. 6893. I support its passage and yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6893, 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.
____________________