Senate committee advances Wicker’s fishery disaster relief bill

The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Nov. 13 approved bipartisan legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) to reform a federal disaster relief program for America’s fisheries.

“This vote affirms the importance of getting this legislation to the president’s desk without delay,” said Sen. Wicker, who is chairman of the committee.

Sen. Wicker in July sponsored the Fishery Failures: Urgently Needed Disaster Declarations (Fishery FUNDD) Act, S. 2346, with cosponsor U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to reform the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fishery Resource Disaster Relief program of the National Marine Fisheries Service and speed up federal relief for the nation’s fishermen during fishery disasters.

“People along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast have seen firsthand the wide-ranging effects a fishery disaster can have on a local community,” Sen. Wicker said. “This legislation would make important reforms to the federal government’s disaster declaration process, ensuring those affected receive relief more quickly.”

If enacted, S. 2346 would streamline the fisheries disaster declaration process by holding the federal government accountable to funding deadlines and would allow disaster funding to go directly to members of the fishing community, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Wicker’s office.

Among other provisions, the bill also would list the eligible uses of fishery disaster relief funds, including direct payments to affected members of the fishing community, habitat restoration and conservation, management improvements, job training, public information campaigns, and preventative measures for future disasters, according to the summary, and would prioritize hiring fishermen displaced by the fishery disaster for such tasks.

The measure now heads to the full U.S. Senate for consideration.