MAWS Act of 2026

What this measure contains

Mitigation 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.

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Bill text and versions

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• Referred in Senate · Official document ↗· Mar 18, 2026
• Engrossed in House · Official document ↗· Mar 17, 2026
• Reported in House · Official document ↗· Feb 23, 2026
• Introduced in House · Official document ↗· Jul 7, 2025

Legislative path

Each stage below is a House or Senate floor decision: every recorded roll call on this measure, plus passage by voice vote or unanimous consent, which records no individual votes. Each stage shows the latest version published before that day; the chamber may have voted on an amended text. Roll calls name every member. A member's row follows their votes, and a highlighted vote marks where they voted for advancing the measure at one stage and against it at another (passage, cloture, motions to proceed, agreeing to the other chamber's version). Amendments and motions such as recommit or table don't count as a change, because an aye there isn't a vote for the measure.

1. Introduced in House
2. Reported in House
3. Engrossed in Houseby House suspend rules and pass
4. Referred in Senate

Decision stages

1. Mar 17, 2026 · House

   House suspend rules and pass on Reported in House: Passed, reported as Engrossed in House

   320 aye · 66 no · 45 not voting · Source roll call

House members along the path

Aye yea or aye · No nay or no · Present · NV not voting · Changed reversed on advancing the measure

Members are identified by the Bioguide ID in each roll call, not by name. Not voting is not a no vote; a blank cell means the member wasn't listed for that roll call.Congress.gov actions ↗

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Legislative history

1. Jul 7, 2025

   Introduced in House

2. Jul 7, 2025

   Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

3. Jul 16, 2025

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

4. Jul 22, 2025

   Subcommittee Hearings Held

5. Jan 22, 2026

   Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged

6. Jan 22, 2026

   Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

7. Jan 22, 2026

   Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

8. Feb 23, 2026

   Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-510.

9. Feb 23, 2026

   Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 436.

10. Mar 16, 2026

    Mr. Wittman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

11. Mar 16, 2026

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2516-2519; text: CR H2516-2517)

12. Mar 16, 2026

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4294.

13. Mar 16, 2026

    At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

14. Mar 17, 2026

    Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2545)

15. Mar 17, 2026

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 320 - 66 (Roll no. 88).

16. Mar 17, 2026

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 320 - 66 (Roll no. 88).

17. Mar 17, 2026

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

18. Mar 18, 2026

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Bill sponsors