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H.R. 4294119th CongressPassed one chamberLatest action Mar 18, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
A three-year pilot program would fund companies to buy blue catfish from watermen to curb the invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay.
50-second read · 5 questions answered below
The MAWS Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of Commerce to run a three-year pilot program funding pet food, animal feed, and aquaculture feed companies to buy blue catfish from local fishermen and seafood processors. The government would set a minimum price per pound to ensure fair pay, and companies could use some funding for transportation costs. The program runs January 2027 through December 2029, and the Secretary must report to Congress on its results afterward.
Commercial fishermen and seafood processors in the Chesapeake Bay region (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.), plus companies producing pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed.
Removing more blue catfish from the bay could reduce harm to native fish and ecosystems, while the program's results may inform whether similar approaches are used against invasive carp in the Mississippi River area.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: it passed the House, and the official record shows nothing new since. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.