[House Report 116-642]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
116th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 116-642
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CLIMATE-READY FISHERIES ACT OF 2019
_______
December 14, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4679]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4679) to require the Comptroller General of the
United States to submit to Congress a report examining efforts
by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine
Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United States fishery
management for the impacts of climate change, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 4679 is to require the Comptroller
General of the United States to submit to Congress a report
examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management Councils,
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the
National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United
States fishery management for the impacts of climate change.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's recent
report on the ocean and cryosphere reported that warming and
changing ocean conditions are already impacting fisheries
catches and the geographic distribution and size of fish
stocks, which could lead to negative impacts on income,
livelihood, and food security of dependent communities, not to
mention conflicts between and within countries.\1\ Economic
impacts are already being seen: a recent study found that
climate variability from 1996 to 2017 reduced fishing
employment by 16 percent in New England, an area that employs
20 percent of commercial harvesters in the United States.\2\
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\1\IPCC, 2019: IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a
Changing Climate. In press.
\2\Oremus, K., Climate variability reduces employment in New
England Fisheries, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Dec
2019, 201820154; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820154116.
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COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 4679 was introduced on October 15, 2019, by
Representative Joe Cunningham (D-SC). The bill was referred
solely to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the
Committee to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
On January 14, 2020, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the
bill. On January 29, 2020, the Natural Resources Committee met
to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by
unanimous consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was
adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of
Representatives by a roll call vote of 22 yeas and 15 nays, as
follows:
HEARINGS
For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the
116th Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or
consider H.R. 4679: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on
Water, Oceans, and Wildlife held on January 14, 2020.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
``Climate-Ready Fisheries Act of 2019.''
Section 2. Findings.
Section 3. Report on efforts to prepare and adapt United
States fishery management for the impacts of climate change.
This section directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
to report on efforts by regional fishery management councils,
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to prepare for and
adapt to the impacts of climate change, and to make
recommendations on how to address the most significant
knowledge and funding gaps that could increase the ability of
these bodies to prepare and adapt fishery management for the
impacts of climate change; how to prepare fishing industries
and communities for climate change impacts; and how to enhance
the capacity of NMFS to monitor and better manage climate-
related changes to fisheries and marine ecosystems.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, March 10, 2020.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4679, the Climate-
Ready Fisheries Act of 2019.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Robert Reese.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director.
Enclosure.
H.R. 4679 would direct the Government Accountability Office
(GAO) to study and report to the Congress on the efforts taken
by the regional fishery management councils, the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration to prepare for and adapt to the
impacts of climate change on U.S. fishery resources. The bill
would require GAO to submit their findings within one year of
enactment.
Using information about the costs of similar GAO reports,
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4679 would cost less than
$500,000 over the 2020-2025 period. Any spending would be
subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Robert Reese.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and
objectives of this bill are to require the Comptroller General
of the United States to submit to Congress a report examining
efforts by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National
Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United States
fishery management for the impacts of climate change.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of
the federal government known to be duplicative of another
program.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing
law.
SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS
None.