MAWS Act of 2026
Latest action (Mar 18, 2026) — Received in the Senate and Read twice and on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
What it does
Congressional Research Service, Feb 23, 2026Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026 or the MAWS Act of 2026
This bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a pilot program to facilitate the purchase of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. (Blue catfish are considered an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay.)
Under the program, NOAA must enter into cooperative agreements with manufacturers or processors of pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed for the purchase of blue catfish from watermen and seafood processors. NOAA must determine the minimum price per pound after considering market factors; feedback from watermen, seafood processors, and participants in the program; and differentiation of price points for fillet and byproduct.
The bill also requires NOAA to enter into a memorandum of understanding with nonfederal partners to develop abundance estimates of blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. NOAA must make the first abundance estimate publicly available before beginning the pilot program.
Face Value
as passed the HouseHow much of this bill its name accounts for.
- Every bill starts at100
- Nothing counted against it: one area of law, and short enough that length doesn't register.
Face Value measures reach, not honesty. A big bill can be accurately named, and a low score is not an accusation — it means the contents reach further than any short title could describe. Count it yourself ↗ How this is worked out
What Congress did
1 recordedOn , as Amendeddecisive vote
House · Mar 17, 2026
A fast-track vote: no amendments, short debate, and two thirds needed to pass. Used for bills expected to be uncontroversial.
Who lobbied on this
1 organizationThese organizations told Congress, in their own quarterly disclosures, that they were lobbying on this bill.
- American Sportfishing Associationwanted it passed
“…Support for S. 4250, the Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2026. Support for H.R. 4294, the MAWS Act of 2026. Support for H.R.8876, the Aquatic Invasive Species Control and Prevention Act of 2026” filing ↗
Most filings say only that an organization lobbied on a bill, not which side it took — where that's the case we say so rather than guessing. Quotes are verbatim from the filing. How this is built.
Discussion
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