WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources advanced H.R. 5103 – "The FISHES Act" out of committee and to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives with unanimous, bipartisan support.
The Donalds 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 six times since 2012.
“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 Florida’s 19th Congressional District. I am proud to receive the unanimous, bipartisan support of my colleagues on this proposal and look forward to its successful passage on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.”
“Congressman Donalds consistently delivers solutions to streamline the bureaucratic red tape of the federal government," said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR). "I’d like to thank him for his work on the FISHES Act, which will help fisheries in Florida and across the country rebound more quickly after natural disasters like hurricanes and floods. It’s the kind of commonsense, bipartisan legislation that Congress is all about.”
Bill Support:
90 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
45 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); Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS); Brian Mast (R-FL); Clay Higgins (R-LA); Scott Franklin (R-FL); Glenn Grothman (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); Josh Harder (D-CA); Greg Steube (R-FL); Salud Carbajal (D-CA); Jim Costa (D-CA); Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL); Kevin Mullin (D-CA); Bill Posey (R-FL); David Rouzer (R-NC); Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL); Mike Lawler (R-NY); Lois Frankel (D-FL); Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ); Dean Phillips (D-MN); Brett Guthrie (R-KY); Tim Kennedy (D-NY); Laurel Lee (R-FL)
4 Senate Supporters: Senate-lead Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL); Senators Lisa Murkowski (R- AK); Marco Rubio (R-FL); and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).
