Fishery Improvement to Streamline Untimely Regulatory Hurdles Post Emergency Situation Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5103) to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to approve or deny spend plans within a certain amount of time, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5103

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Fishery Improvement to Streamline untimely regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation Act'' or the ``FISHES Act''. SEC. 2. SPEND PLANS.

Section 312(a)(6) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(a)(6)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (D), to read as follows:

``(D) Spend plans.--

``(i) In general.--To receive an allocation from funds available under paragraph (9), a requester with an affirmative fishery resource disaster determination shall submit a spend plan to the Secretary, not more than 120 days after receiving notification that funds are available, that shall include the following information, if applicable:

``(I) Objectives and outcomes, with an emphasis on addressing the factors contributing to the fishery resource disaster and minimizing future uninsured losses, if applicable.

``(II) Statement of work.

``(III) Budget details.

``(ii) Review.--

``(I) In general.--The Secretary shall review a spend plan submitted under clause (i) to determine if it is complete and provide notice within 10 days.

``(II) Incomplete spend plan.--If the Secretary determines that a spend plan submitted under clause (i) is not complete, when providing the notice required by subclause (I), the Secretary shall provide a detailed description of the information that is necessary for the spend plan to be determined complete.''; and

(2) in subparagraph (F)(i), to read as follows:

``(i) Availability.--

``(I) Timeline.--Funds shall be made available to grantees not later than 90 days after the date the Secretary receives a complete spend plan.

``(II) Review of completed spend plan and apportionment of funds.--If so requested, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget may review a completed spend plan concurrently with the Secretary. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget may not delay the timeline described in subclause (I).''.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. 5103, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5103, the Fishery Improvement to Streamline untimely regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation, or the FISHES, Act.

This legislation, sponsored by the gentleman from Florida, Congressman Byron Donalds, will protect States and fishing communities from unnecessary delays in the disaster recovery process.

Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, States and communities affected by fishery disasters can petition for funding to assist in response and recovery efforts. However, affected States and communities have experienced delays in obtaining the approvals needed to access these funds. H.R. 5103 requires the Secretary of Commerce to review disaster spending plans submitted by requesters within 10 days.

Additionally, while the legislation allows the Office of Management and Budget to review spending plans, it makes it clear that they may not, and I repeat may not, delay the statutory timelines. This will ensure accountability and consistency in the fishery disaster response process, providing certainty to States and fishing communities in times of recovery.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. In closing, Mr. Speaker, many times in recent years this body has taken steps to help communities recover in the wake of natural disasters. Programs designed to help communities recover from these disasters must work effectively and help communities to recover in a timely manner. Too often government bureaucracy can act as an impediment to recovery efforts.

We can improve this process by ensuring the Office of Management and Budget does not unnecessarily delay it.

Once again, I thank Congressman Byron Donalds for his work on this issue and the many Members and stakeholders who have supported this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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