{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-cantwell-colleagues-seek-to-reauthorize-sport-fish-boating-trust-fund", "Sullivan, Cantwell, Colleagues Seek to Reauthorize Sport Fish, Boating Trust Fund", "2026-03-31", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=1", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, have introduced the Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2026 to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (SFRBTF), set to expire on September 30, 2026, through 2031. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).\n\nEstablished in 1950, the Trust Fund is a user-pay, public-benefit program that supports conservation programs, fisheries management and restoration, and recreational boating access and safety resources. The Trust Fund is funded primarily through excise taxes on motorboat fuel, small engines, and sportfishing equipment paid by recreational boaters, anglers, and manufacturers.\n\n\u201cAlaska is home to the most incredible sport fishing opportunities anywhere on the planet,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cAlaska residents and thousands of visitors from across the country and around the world flock to our rivers, lakes, and endless miles of coastline each year for the experience of a lifetime. The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund helps ensure we continue to protect and sustain the world-class aquatic ecosystems that provide these experiences by supporting essential conservation, research, and management initiatives. Over the past five years alone, Alaska has received nearly $124 million\u2014an average of more than $20 million annually\u2014from the fund. I\u2019m glad to introduce bipartisan legislation with my colleagues to reauthorize this important Trust Fund to provide access for anglers and help keep Alaska\u2019s waters healthy for generations far into the future.\u201d\n\n\u201cWashington\u2019s outdoor economy depends on healthy fisheries and safe waterways,\u201d said Sen. Cantwell. \u201cThis bipartisan bill keeps more than $600 million flowing each year to support fish restoration, hatcheries, and boating safety. Recreational fishing supports thousands of jobs across our state\u2014this reauthorization protects those jobs and keeps our communities strong.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2026 would:\n\nReauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund for another 5 years.\n\nUpdate apportionment for Interstate Fisheries Commissions from a flat amount to a percentage to increase funding.\n\n\u201cThe Kenai River Sportfishing Association strongly supports Senator Sullivan\u2019s legislation to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and update funding for Interstate Fisheries Commissions,\u201d said Shannon Martin, executive director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association. \u201cThese funds are critical for fisheries conservation, habitat restoration, boating access, and angler programs\u2014supporting local economies and ensuring future generations can experience world-class sportfishing opportunities like those in Alaska.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the American Sportfishing Association, we thank Senators Cantwell and Sullivan for introducing the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund Reauthorization Act,\u201d said Glenn Hughes, president and CEO of the American Sportfishing Association. \u201cFor 76 years, the sportfishing industry has proudly contributed to this program through the federal excise tax on fishing equipment, creating a powerful, self-sustaining model for conservation. These funds are critical to supporting state-led fisheries management, expanding public access, and maintaining healthy fish populations. Reauthorizing this program ensures that anglers and the broader outdoor recreation community can continue to rely on strong fisheries and accessible waters for generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cNMMA applauds Senators Sullivan and Cantwell for their bipartisan leadership in introducing legislation to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund,\u201d said Clay Crabtree, interim vice president of public policy and government relations at the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). \u201cFor more than 75 years, this user-pay, public-benefit program has been the backbone of conservation and boating infrastructure in all 50 states, supporting access to our nation\u2019s waterways and strengthening local economies. As lawmakers look to support America\u2019s outdoor recreation future, reauthorizing and modernizing this program is essential to ensuring that boaters and anglers continue to have safe, reliable access to public waters while supporting the small businesses and manufacturers that power the uniquely American recreational boating industry.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the largest payers into the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund via the motor fuel tax, America\u2019s boat owners appreciate the support of Congress in continuing this highly successful program,\u201d said David Kennedy, BoatUS. \u201cBoaters understand the value of keeping our waters accessible, safe, clean, and most importantly, fun. This is why BoatUS supports this legislation and applauds its sponsors.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe applaud the Senate\u2019s introduction of legislation to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, a critical step in ensuring resource continuity for state-led fisheries management,\u201d said Paul Johansen, chief of the wildlife resources section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and president of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. \u201cFunded by excise taxes on sportfishing equipment and motorboat and small engine fuel use, the Fund apportionments to state fish and wildlife agencies support the state fisheries data collection, stocking, and habitat projects needed to conserve fish populations and provide quality recreational fishing opportunities for the public.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery time a recreational boater fills up before a day on the water, they are supporting the important work done by the SFRBTF, ultimately playing a role in the conservation and restoration of crucial habitat and improving access for recreational boaters,\u201d said Matt Gruhn, president of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. \u201cClean waters, healthy fisheries, and access to both are critical to ensuring the recreational fishing and boating industry remains strong, and the work done by the SFRBTF continues to ensure that those priorities remain in check, further underscoring the importance of reauthorization. We cannot thank Senators Sullivan and Cantwell enough for their leadership in spearheading the reauthorization of this pivotal program.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, together with fishing license revenues, serves as the cornerstone of state-led fisheries conservation across the United States,\u201d said Taylor Schmitz, senior vice president of the Congressional Sportsmen\u2019s Foundation. \u201cThis uniquely American model has proven extraordinarily effective in sustaining aquatic resources and providing critical access. We commend Senators Sullivan and Cantwell, along with the bill\u2019s original cosponsors, for their leadership in advancing the reauthorization and long-term protection of this vital program for future generations.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-cantwell-colleagues-seek-to-reauthorize-sport-fish-boating-trust-fund"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.573503017425537, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}