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S. 759 119th Congress Senate

Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act

Official title: A bill to provide for standardization, publication, and accessibility of data relating to public outdoor recreational use of Federal waterways, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 26, 2025 Introduced by: Ted Cruz Republican · Texas See on congress.gov
Transportation and Public Works Data collection, sharing, protectionGeography and mappingGovernment information and archivesHunting and fishing
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Internet, web applications, social mediaNavigation, waterways, harborsOutdoor recreation
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 Everywhere this bill has been 18 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 25, 2026
Signed by President.
Sep 22, 2026
Presented to President.
Sep 14, 2026 · 3:35 PM EDT
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Sep 14, 2026 · 3:35 PM EDT
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5559)
Sep 14, 2026 · 3:35 PM EDT
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5559)
Sep 14, 2026 · 3:32 PM EDT
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 759.
Sep 14, 2026 · 3:32 PM EDT
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5559-5560)
Sep 14, 2026 · 3:32 PM EDT
Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Sep 11, 2025
Received in the House.
Sep 11, 2025
Held at the desk.
Sep 11, 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Sep 10, 2025
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6556; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S6556)
Sep 10, 2025
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Jul 16, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 117.
Jul 16, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-40.
Mar 12, 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Feb 26, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Feb 26, 2025
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action September 25, 2026

Signed by President.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act

This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to publish geospatial data related to public recreational use of federal waterways (e.g., boating and fishing).

Under the bill, NOAA must consult with relevant stakeholders (including state and local governments, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations) to develop and adopt standards for the coordination and dissemination of geospatial data relating to fishing restrictions and recreational vessels' use of federal waterways, including the exclusive economic zone of the United States (EEZ). (The EEZ generally includes waters between 3 and 200 miles seaward from the U.S. coastline.)

Within four years after the bill is enacted, NOAA must provide geographic information system data on a public website that identifies and describes the locations where and conditions under which certain recreational activities are restricted in federal waterways. Specifically, the website must identify (1) locations where fishing restrictions are imposed, (2) areas in the EEZ with restrictions on specified recreational vessel types, and (3) federally protected areas (e.g., National Marine Sanctuaries). NOAA must also continue to provide digitized navigation information related to the EEZ and make the information available on the website to the extent practicable.

The bill allows NOAA to coordinate and partner with nonfederal entities to carry out this bill. It also directs NOAA to work with other federal agencies to ensure compatibility and interoperability among federal databases with respect to collecting and disseminating geospatial data related to the public outdoor recreational use of the EEZ.

 Hearings & markups 1
 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 3340 Identical bill Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act
 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 14

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

See all 14 filings →
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Independent 1
I
King, Angus S., Jr.
Maine · Feb 26, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 759: Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-759/
MLA
"S. 759: Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-759/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 759, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-759/.
Markdown link
[S. 759: Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-759/)
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