Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm Act
Public Law 118-117 · H.R. 5490 · 118th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Nov 25, 2024 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA-2)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
This act modifies the coastal areas belonging to the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) and which are, therefore, ineligible to receive federal financial assistance for land development. It also expands exceptions to this restriction, establishes additional requirements for agencies administering the CBRS, and requires a study relating to coastal barrier ecosystems.
Specifically, the act updates and replaces existing CBRS maps with maps recommended by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in a 2022 report to Congress titled John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Hurricane Sandy Remapping Project. Affected coastal areas are located in 13 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia.
In addition, the act creates new exceptions to the limitation on federal financial assistance for certain (1) aquaculture operations (e.g., shellfish production) and (2) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coastal storm risk management projects. The act also provides that insurable structures (i.e., walled and roofed buildings) that are on the ground in areas added to the CBRS within one year of enactment remain eligible for federal financial assistance.
The act directs FWS to issue regulations requiring owners or lessors of real property in communities affected by the CBRS to disclose this information to prospective buyers or lessees.
Additionally, the act provides that FWS shall develop and finalize guidance relating to the expenditure of federal funds in emergency situations that threaten life, land, and property immediately adjacent to a system unit. The act also generally requires agencies that are involved with the CBRS to revise or issue regulations or guidance as necessary within one year of enactment.
Finally, the act directs FWS and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a scientific evaluation of the dynamics of coastal barrier ecosystems. FWS and USGS must provide related recommendations for the CBRS to Congress.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · discharged from, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 2958Related bill
Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2023
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Nov 25, 2024Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 118-117.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 21, 2024FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 20, 2024FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Nov 19, 2024FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Sep 25, 2024CalendarCalendar · Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 546.
- Sep 24, 2024FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5490.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 12, 2024CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 563.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-667.
- Dec 6, 2023CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Discharged
- Sep 28, 2023CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 26, 2023CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries.
- Sep 14, 2023CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.