Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
Young Fishermen’s Development Program Reauthorization Act
A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See all 4 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 351.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Young Fishermen's Development Program Reauthorization Act," serves to reauthorize the Young Fishermen's Development Act. It extends the program's timeframe from 2026 through 2031. The legislation includes various amendments to existing sections regarding specific industry needs like crew management, disaster preparedness, and seafood handling. It also adds new areas of focus such as fishing portfolio diversification and the management of working waterfronts. Additionally, it establishes a process for tracking the career progression of program participants.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +5
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The program specifically targets 'Young Fishermen' to assist in their career entry and progression.
- Scored +4
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill provides technical assistance and training relevant to small-scale commercial fishermen and their operations.
- Scored +3
Would business owners be better off under this?
The expanded focus on waterfront management and technical assistance benefits fishery business owners.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Extended Program Duration: By changing the dates in section 5(a) from 2026 through 2026 to 2026 through 2031, the bill ensures the program continues for several more years (Section 2, subsection 2).
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Expanded Training and Focus Areas: The bill adds several specific industry needs that could benefit those in the fishing industry, such as crew management, disaster preparedness, seafood handling, technical assistance, fishing portfolio diversification and expansion, and management of working waterfronts and related shoreside infrastructure (Section 2, subsection 1, paragraph A).
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Improved Program Evaluation: The Secretary of Commerce, through the National Sea Grant Office, will now track the career progression of participants to identify those staying in commercial fisheries or related industries, which will be used to evaluate program effectiveness (Section 2, subsection 1, paragraph C, subparagraph 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The program specifically targets 'Young Fishermen' to assist in their career entry and progression. Would business owners be better off under this? — The expanded focus on waterfront management and technical assistance benefits fishery business owners. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — By supporting the fishing industry and waterfront infrastructure, it aids rural coastal communities.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill provides technical assistance and training relevant to small-scale commercial fishermen and their operations. Is this likely to create jobs? — The extension and expansion of the program aim to support the development of new participants in the commercial fishing industry. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Support for the fishing industry helps sustain maritime economic activity.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The focus on working waterfronts and shoreside infrastructure supports coastal and rural maritime communities. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill explicitly adds disaster preparedness to the training and development focus for fishermen.
- 3/11/2026
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-115.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 351.
- 11/4/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/21/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 7/17/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Cindy Hyde-SmithRepublican · Mississippi
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska
Roger WickerRepublican · Mississippi