Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Quantifying Uncertainty and Action to Help Optimize Growth of Shellfish Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The QUAHOGS Act of 2025 creates the East Coast Bivalve Research Task Force to study bivalve productivity and abundance. This group will identify research needs and create a coordinated strategy to address declining harvests of species like hard clams. The Task Force will review science regarding climate change, habitat restoration, and economic impacts on fisheries and aquaculture. It includes representatives from government agencies, Indian Tribes, the fishing industry, and academic experts. The group must provide an interim progress report after one year and a final report within two years.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +7
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
Mandates the inclusion of Indian Tribes and the use of traditional ecological knowledge in management plans.
- Scored +7
Does this put more money into scientific research?
The bill creates a specialized task force to prioritize and identify scientific research needs for bivalves.
- Scored +6
Would business owners be better off under this?
Specifically identifies and seeks to reduce regulatory and financial barriers for aquaculture 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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Support for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture: The Task Force is charged with supporting sustainable bivalve fisheries and aquaculture operations in East Coast States (Section 4(a)(3)-(4)). This could help ensure long-term food sources and job stability for those in the industry.
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Economic Evaluation and Barrier Identification: The bill requires the evaluation of economic impacts and the identification of financial and regulatory barriers for small-scale aquaculture operations (Section 4(c)(1)(A)(xii)). This could lead to easier entry for small business owners.
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Environmental and Climate Protection: The Task Force will research mitigation strategies for climate change and techniques for habitat restoration, such as using bivalves and seagrass meadows (Section 4(c)(1)(A)(iv)-(v)). This may improve coastal water quality and ecosystem health.
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Inclusion of Diverse Knowledge: The bill mandates the inclusion of representatives from Indian Tribes and the review of traditional ecological knowledge in management plans (Section 4(b)(2)(C) and Section 4(c)(1)(A)(i)). This ensures a broader range of expertise and cultural perspectives are used to protect resources.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Lack of Compensation for Members: Members of the Research Task Force and its work groups serve without compensation (Section 4(d)(3)). This may limit the ability of some individuals or smaller stakeholders to participate if they cannot afford to volunteer their time.
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 Native Americans be better off under this? — Mandates the inclusion of Indian Tribes and the use of traditional ecological knowledge in management plans. Would business owners be better off under this? — Specifically identifies and seeks to reduce regulatory and financial barriers for aquaculture business owners. Would farmers be better off under this? — Beneficial to aquaculture farmers through targeted research on productivity and sustainability. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Provides support for coastal rural industries such as bivalve harvesting and aquaculture.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The act focuses on bivalve conservation, habitat restoration, and water quality improvement. Does this invest in rural communities? — Supports sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, which are critical for many rural coastal communities. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill researches the use of bivalves and seagrass for habitat restoration, which can act as carbon sinks.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill specifically requires identifying financial and regulatory barriers to entry for small-scale aquaculture operations. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Research into optimizing bivalve growth and identifying barriers for small-scale aquaculture can stimulate local economic growth. Is this likely to create jobs? — Supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture may lead to long-term job stability and growth in the industry.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill creates a specialized task force to prioritize and identify scientific research needs for bivalves.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires that interim and final reports be made publicly available. Does this give the federal government more power? — Establishes a federal task force to coordinate research across East Coast states.
- 11/20/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/18/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Lisa Blunt RochesterDemocrat · Delaware
Tim ScottRepublican · South Carolina