Donalds Bipartisan Bill To Expedite Disaster Relief For Fisheries Passes House With Broad Support

Posted on

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives has passed Donalds bill H.R. 5103 – “The Bipartisan Fishery Improvement to Streamline untimely regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation Act (FISHES) Act,” by voice vote.

“The Bipartisan FISHES Act” is broadly-supported, bipartisan legislation to improve the federal regulatory process associated with the allocation of fishery disaster relief. Specifically, this commonsense and solutions-oriented bill seeks to expedite the distribution of federal disaster relief following official fishery disaster declarations–which the State of Florida has requested seven times since 2012.

H.R. 5103 is the twenty-sixth piece of legislation sponsored by Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) that has passed the U.S. House of Representatives during the 118th Congress. The legislation has received the support of 160 endorsing entities including 107 organizations, and fifty-two members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is the sponsor of “The Bipartisan FISHES Act” Senate companion bill.

“Following Hurricane Ian, Southwest Florida’s seafood industry incurred catastrophic devastation and its impact still persists,” said Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL). “Waterways are the lifeblood of our economy and our community. It has always been my commitment to advocate for the vitality of water—which ultimately benefits countless families, businesses, and the overall development of the Sunshine State. I am proud to receive the broad, bipartisan support of my colleagues on this critical proposal and look forward to its successful passage on the floor of the United States Senate.”

“During a time of natural disaster, time can often be the difference between life and death,” said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR). “For our nation’s fisheries, delays in disaster requests can cause catastrophic destruction to these vital resources and coastal communities. Today, we passed Congressman Donalds’ FISHES Act which will create timelines for disaster requests to ensure our fisheries can be supported when natural disasters strike. I’d like to thank Congressman Donalds for his leadership on this issue for all Americans.” 

Bill Support:

  • 107 Supporting Organizations:
    • Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission;  Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission; Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission; American Sportfishing Association; Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; Bonefish and Tarpon Trust; Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation; FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; National Audubon Society; Captains for Clean Water; American Conservation Coalition Action; Angler Action Foundation; Marine Industries Association of SWFL and Tampa Bay; Gulf Shellfish Institute; Florida Guides Association; National Association of Charterboat Operators; Southern Offshore Fishing Association; Coastal Conservation Association; Center for Sportfishing Policy; The Nature Conservancy; International Game and Fish Association; Reef Life Foundation; Resource Development Council for Alaska; National Fisheries Institute; Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association; BoatU.S.; Fish is America; Panama City Boatman’s Association; Association of Marina Industries; Southeastern Fisheries Association; North Carolina Fisheries Association; Louisiana Shrimp Association; Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance; Southern Shrimp Alliance; South Carolina Shrimpers Association; Diving Equipment and Marketing Association; Pontchartrain Conservancy; Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association; Everglades Trust; Marine Retailers Association of the Americas; Organized Fishermen of Florida; North Florida Marine Association; Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County; Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership; Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast; Charter Fishermans Association; Destin Charter Boat Association; Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council; Florida Stone Crab Association; Fishing Communities Coalition; Gulf Fisherman’s Association; Florida Commercial Watermen’s Conservation; Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber; Sanibel and Captiva Chamber of Commerce; United States Shrimpers Coalition; United Fishermen of Alaska; Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association; Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance; Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association; Marine Industries Association of Florida; Golden State Salmon Association; Georgia Commercial Fisherman Association; National Marine Manufacturers Association; Audubon Florida; Ocean Conservancy; Conservancy of SWFL; Cypress Chapter Izaak Walton League of America; Bergeron Everglades Foundation; Oceana; Texas Shrimp Association; North Carolina Watermen United; Blue Water Fishermen’s Association; Alabama Commercial Fisherman Association; Wildlife Forever; Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation; Florida Retail Federation; FL Shore & Beach Preservation Association; Florida Ocean Alliance; The Billfish Foundation; Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association; Michigan Boating Industries Association; East Farm Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island; Maine Lobstermen’s Association; Mote Marine Laboratory; Cordova District Fishermen United; Midwater Trawlers Cooperative; National Marine Distributors Association; Restore America’s Estuaries; Seafood Harvesters of America; Purse Seine Vessel Owners Association; Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United; American Bird Conservancy; Pacific Seafood Processors Association; Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers; Virginia Watermans Association; New England Young Fishermen’s Alliance; New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association; Port Arthur Area Shrimpers’ Association; National Restaurant Association; Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.); Major League Fishing; American Shrimp Processers Association; Guy Harvey Foundation; Pacific Northwest Waterways Association; Oregon Trawl Commission; Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association; and North American Marine Alliance
  • 48 Bipartisan House Cosponsors:

    • Representatives Mary Peltola (D-AK), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Troy Carter (D-LA), Troy Nehls (R-TX), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), James Moylan (R-GU), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), John Rutherford (R-FL), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Auma Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), Brian Mast (R-FL), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Glenn Grothmann (R-WI), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-PR), Randy Weber (R-TX), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Don Davis (D-NC), Russell Fry (R-SC), Jerry Carl (R-AL), Michael Waltz (R-FL), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Greg Steube (R-FL), Josh Harder (D-CA), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ), Jim Costa (D-CA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Dean Phillips (D-MN), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Bill Posey (R-FL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), David Rouzer (R-NC), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), and Timothy Kennedy (D-NY) 

  • 4 Senate Supporters:
    • Senate-lead Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL); Senators Lisa Murkowski (R- AK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK)

More:

  • See full text of the Donalds FISHES Act HERE.
  • See Congress.gov bill profile of the Donalds FISHES Act HERE.
  • See Congress.gov bill profile of the Scott Senate companion HERE.
  • See Donalds-Scott Joint Op-Ed in Support of FISHES Act HERE.
  • See bill summary graphics of the Donalds FISHES Act below: