I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4711 

To make funds available for Dungeness crab and rock crab emergency disaster 

assistance, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 3, 2016 

Ms. SPEIER (for herself, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. FARR, Ms. ESHOO, Mrs. CAPPS, 

and Mr. THOMPSON of California) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Appropriations 

A BILL 

To make funds available for Dungeness crab and rock crab 

emergency disaster assistance, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Crab Emergency Dis5 aster Assistance Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DUNGENESS CRAB AND ROCK CRAB FISHERY FAIL7 URE AND FISHERY RESOURCE DISASTER. 

8 (a) DISASTER ASSISTANCE.— 

9 (1) APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS.—In addition to 

10 any other funds available for such purpose, there is 


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1 appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce 

2 $138,150,000 to make a lump sum payment to the 

3 Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 

4 (2) DISTRIBUTION.—The Commission shall dis5 tribute such amount among fishing communities, In6 dian tribes, small businesses, including fishermen, 

7 fish processors, and related businesses, individuals, 

8 and other entities, for assistance for the economic 

9 and social effects of the commercial fishery failure in 

10 the Dungeness crab fishery or rock crab fishery de11 termined under section 312(a) of the Magnuson-Ste12 vens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 

13 U.S.C. 1861a(a)) or the fishery resource disaster in 

14 either such fishery determined under 308(d) of the 

15 Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 

16 4107(d)), to mitigate the economic losses to such 

17 communities, tribes, businesses, individuals or other 

18 entities caused by closures or other restrictions on 

19 the harvesting of Dungeness crab or rock crab. 

20 (3) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated by 

21 this subsection shall remain available for the period 

22 with respect to which the determination referred to 

23 in paragraph (2) is made. 

24 (4) UNUSED FUNDS.—Any amount appro25 priated by this subsection that is not expended or 


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1 otherwise obligated for the purpose described in 

2 paragraph (1) shall be returned to the Treasury of 

3 the United States. 

4 (5) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This subsection shall 

5 take effect on— 

6 (A) the date the Secretary of Commerce 

7 publishes notice of a determination under sec8 tion 312(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

9 Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 

10 1861a(a)) that there is a commercial fishery 

11 failure in the Dungeness crab fishery or rock 

12 crab fishery; or 

13 (B) the date the Secretary of Commerce 

14 publishes notice of a determination under 

15 308(d) of the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act 

16 of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 4107(d)) that there is a 

17 fishery resource disaster in either such fishery. 

18 (b) RESEARCH.— 

19 (1) APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS.—There is ap20 propriated to the Secretary of Commerce— 

21 (A) $1,000,000 for West Coast domoic 

22 acid sampling and monitoring; and 

23 (B) $5,000,000 for competitive grants for 

24 projects, activities, and research that advance 

25 the capacity— 


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1 (i) to predict the occurrence of harm2 ful algal blooms in the offshore waters of 

3 California, Washington, and Oregon; and 

4 (ii) to evaluate the toxicity of domoic 

5 acid bioaccumulation and transmission to 

6 humans through the food supply. 

7 (2) ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.— 

8 The Secretary shall establish a grant program with 

9 amounts appropriated by paragraph (1)(B) not later 

10 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 

11 Act. 

12 (c) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 

13 The Secretary of Commerce may not use more than 4 per14 cent of the amount appropriated under each of subsections 

15 (a) and (b) for administrative expenses. 

Æ 


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