H.R. 4294 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Mar 17, 2026. Received Mar 18, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryProgram to buy invasive blue catfish from watermen
The Chesapeake Bay has too many blue catfish, a species that doesn't belong there and harms the local ecosystem. This bill creates a pilot program where the government works with pet food, animal feed, and aquaculture feed companies to buy blue catfish caught by watermen and seafood processors. The government will set prices based on market conditions and feedback from the people involved, with different prices for fillets versus other byproducts. Before the program starts, the government also has to team up with local partners to estimate how many blue catfish are actually in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and share that information publicly.
How it affects you
If you're a waterman or seafood processor in the Chesapeake Bay area, this program creates a new market for blue catfish you catch, which can help your income. For everyone else, the program aims to reduce an invasive fish population that damages the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, which can benefit fish populations and water quality in that region over time.
Read the official summary (Reported to House, Feb 23, 2026)
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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 4294
AN ACT
MAWS Act of 2026
Sponsor: Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-3) · Introduced Jul 7, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 18, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · Mar 17, 2026
Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended Passed 320–66
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 192 | 1 | 21 |
| Republicans | 128 | 65 | 24 |
66 members voted against most of their party: 1 Democrats voted No and 65 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.