S. 4723: AQUAA Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-09-24 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-09-24 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 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

AQUAA Act

Plain summary

Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture Act or the AQUAA Act This bill establishes national standards for sustainable offshore aquaculture. It also establishes a national plan to identify and designate aquaculture opportunity areas. The Department of Commerce must develop a plan and time line to systematically (1) assess the exclusive economic zone, (2) prepare an inventory of sites suitable for aquaculture opportunity areas, and (3) designate aquaculture opportunity areas. Commerce must also establish a research and development grant program to promote research and extension activities, including to (1) create innovative design and engineering solutions to common obstacles within the aquaculture industry; (2) evaluate the role of genetics in relation to brood stock production, disease management, and interactions between cultured species and wild stocks; and (3) improve techniques for monitoring, assessing, and addressing environmental impacts of aquaculture and develop and evaluate methodologies to prevent, minimize, and mitigate potential adverse environmental impacts. The bill directs Commerce to create an Office of Aquaculture within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to coordinate regulatory, scientific, outreach, and international issues related to aquaculture. The bill also establishes a unified permitting and review process for aquaculture operations.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

AQUAA Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jerry Moran (R-KS)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] reported raising $306,823 (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 (1)

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 (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s4723.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s4723 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116