MAWS Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 4294 Referred in Senate (RFS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4294 _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 18, 2026 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a pilot program with respect to the sale of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. 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 ``Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026'' or the ``MAWS Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. BLUE CATFISH PILOT PROGRAM. Section 307 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (15 U.S.C. 1511d) is amended-- (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following: ``(e) Blue Catfish Pilot Program.-- ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, utilizing and coordinating with applicable programs and activities described in subsection (b)(3), shall carry out a pilot program to enter into cooperative agreements with covered entities for such covered entities to purchase, in accordance with paragraph (3)-- ``(A) from watermen, blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by such watermen; and ``(B) from seafood processors, such blue catfish purchased by seafood processors from such watermen. ``(2) Applications.--To be eligible to enter into a cooperative agreement under the pilot program, a covered entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines appropriate. ``(3) Use of amounts.--A covered entity that enters into a cooperative agreeme