H.R. 3596: Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-06-28 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 238.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-06-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 238. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act

Plain summary

Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act This bill addresses the preservation and accessibility of waterfronts in coastal states. The bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a Working Waterfront Task Force that will be designed to identify and address critical working waterfront needs with respect to cultural and economic importance, environmental threats, and market conditions for water-dependent businesses. NOAA must also establish a Working Waterfront Grant Program. Under the program, NOAA may award grants to coastal states with approved working waterfront plans in place to preserve and expand access to coastal waters for people engaged in fishing, aquaculture, boat building, and other water-dependent businesses. In addition, NOAA is authorized to award grants to coastal states for the purpose of developing or revising working waterfront plans. States are allowed to allocate any grant money received to eligible local governments and other entities. Each state that is awarded a grant must contribute at least 25% of matching funds towards the total cost of the project carried out with the grant, subject to certain exceptions. The bill establishes the Working Waterfronts Preservation Loan Fund to provide loans to coastal states for the purpose of implementing working waterfront plans.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3596, Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act (2019-11-01)

Cosponsors on this site

Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), William R. Keating (D-MA), Ed Case (D-HI), Jared F. Golden (D-ME), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] reported raising $551,078 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr3596.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr3596 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116