Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act of 2022
Bill: S.4927 | Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. (R-MS)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act of 2022
This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a program to award grants and provide technical assistance to certain entities for youth fishing projects.
In awarding grants, NOAA must prioritize applicants with proposals for youth fishing projects that focus on an underserved community.

To direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to 
       establish a grant program to fund youth fishing projects.

    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 ``Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. YOUTH COASTAL FISHING GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program to award 
grants and provide technical assistance to eligible entities for the 
purpose of establishing youth fishing projects.
    (b) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    (c) Determinations of Eligibility.--The Secretary shall develop 
criteria for purposes of determining whether an entity is eligible to 
receive a grant under this section in consultation with relevant 
offices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, such as 
the Office of Coastal Management, the National Sea Grant Office, the 
National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Office of National Marine 
Sanctuaries.
    (d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant award 
under this section shall use the amount of the award for purposes 
related to conducting a youth fishing project, including--
            (1) the purchase or rental of fishing equipment;
            (2) the cost of transporting participants to and from a 
        youth fishing project;
            (3) fees associated with boat rental, pier access, or other 
        facilities;
            (4) fishing license purchases;
            (5) fishing guide costs; or
            (6) such other expenses related to conducting a youth 
        fishing project as the Secretary considers appropriate.
    (e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applications containing proposals for youth 
fishing projects focused on an underserved community.
    (f) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
on--
            (1) the eligible entities awarded grants under this 
        section;
            (2) the amount each such entity received;
            (3) how those entities used the grant award; and
            (4) the number of participants in youth fishing projects 
        funded by grants under this section.
    (g) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Secretary $2,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2023 to carry out this section.
            (2) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) shall 
        remain available until expended.
            (3) Administrative costs.--Not more than 3 percent of 
        amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
        appropriations under paragraph (1) may be used by the Secretary 
        for the administrative costs of carrying out this section.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a nonprofit organization;
                    (B) an educational institution;
                    (C) a State, local, or Tribal government; or
                    (D) a Native Hawaiian organization (as defined in 
                section 6207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517)).
            (2) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
        organization'' means an organization described in section 
        501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from 
        taxation under 501(a) of that Code.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
        Oceans and Atmosphere.
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the 
        Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United 
        States, and any other territory or possession of the United 
        States.
            (5) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government'' 
        means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska 
        Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, 
        component band, or component reservation, individually 
        identified (including parenthetically) in the list published 
        most recently as of the date of the enactment of this Act 
        pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian 
        Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
            (6) Underserved community.--The term ``underserved 
        community'' means a population of individuals sharing a 
        particular characteristic, or a geographic community, that has 
        been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in 
        aspects of economic, social, and civic life, such as--
                    (A) racial and ethnic minorities;
                    (B) individuals with access and functional needs; 
                or
                    (C) individuals otherwise adversely affected by 
                persistent poverty or inequality.
            (7) Youth fishing project.--The term ``youth fishing 
        project'' means a project that provides youth with--
                    (A) a recreational fishing experience conducted 
                from a shore, pier, or boat located in the Great Lakes, 
                coastal waters, ocean waters, or a tidal river;
                    (B) education about marine science, conservation, 
                and fishing regulations; and
                    (C) information on where and how to continue 
                fishing.
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