I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2344 
To make funds available for fisheries resource disaster assistance for the 
2015–16 Dungeness crab and rock crab fisheries disaster, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 3, 2017 
Ms. SPEIER (for herself and Mr. HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations 
A BILL 
To make funds available for fisheries resource disaster assist-
ance for the 2015–16 Dungeness crab and rock crab 
fisheries disaster, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Crab Emergency Dis-
aster Assistance Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FISHERY RESOURCE DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR 
THE 2015–16 DUNGENESS CRAB AND ROCK 
CRAB FISHERIES DISASTER. 
(a) DISASTER ASSISTANCE.— 
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(1) APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS.—In addition to 
any other funds available for such purpose, there is 
appropriated 
to 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Commerce 
$117,393,750 to make a lump sum payment to the 
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 
(2) DISTRIBUTION.—The Commission shall dis-
tribute such amount among fishing communities, In-
dian Tribes, small businesses, including fishermen, 
fish processors, and related businesses, individuals, 
and other entities, for assistance for the economic 
and social effects of the fishery resource disaster for 
the 2015–16 Dungeness crab and rock crab fisheries 
as determined by the Secretary of the Commerce on 
January 18, 2017, and to mitigate the economic 
losses to such communities, Tribes, businesses, indi-
viduals, or other entities caused by fishing closures 
or other restrictions on the harvesting of Dungeness 
crab or rock crab. 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated by 
this subsection shall remain available for the period 
with respect to which the determination referred to 
in paragraph (2) is made. 
(4) UNUSED
FUNDS.—Any amount appro-
priated by this subsection that is not expended or 
otherwise obligated for the purpose described in 
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paragraph (1) shall be returned to the Treasury of 
the United States. 
(b) RESEARCH.— 
(1) APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS.—There is ap-
propriated to the Secretary of Commerce— 
(A) $1,000,000 for West Coast domoic 
acid sampling and monitoring; and 
(B) $5,000,000 for competitive grants for 
projects, activities, and research that advance 
the capacity— 
(i) to predict the occurrence of harm-
ful algal blooms in the offshore waters of 
California, Washington, and Oregon; and 
(ii) to evaluate the toxicity of domoic 
acid bioaccumulation and transmission to 
humans through the food supply. 
(2) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
GRANT
PROGRAM.— 
The Secretary shall establish a grant program with 
amounts appropriated by paragraph (1)(B) not later 
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(c) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 
The Secretary of Commerce may not use more than 4 per-
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cent of the amount appropriated under each of subsections 
(a) and (b) for administrative expenses. 
Æ 
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