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Titles Actions Overview All Actions Cosponsors Committees Related Bills Subjects Latest Summary All Summaries

Titles (3)

Short Titles

Short Titles - House of Representatives

Short Titles as Passed House

DESCEND Act of 2020
Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020

Official Titles

Official Titles - House of Representatives

Official Title as Introduced

To require individuals fishing for Gulf reef fish to use certain descending devices, and for other purposes.


Actions Overview (3)

Date Actions Overview
10/01/2020Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
09/24/2020Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 116-531.
11/15/2019Introduced in House

All Actions (15)

Date Chamber All Actions
10/19/2020SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
10/01/2020-3:26pmHouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
10/01/2020-3:26pmHouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5176)
10/01/2020-3:13pmHouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5126.
10/01/2020-3:13pmHouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5176-5178)
10/01/2020-3:13pmHouseMrs. Dingell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
09/24/2020HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 431.
09/24/2020HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 116-531.
03/11/2020HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Action By: Committee on Natural Resources
03/11/2020HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Action By: Committee on Natural Resources
03/11/2020HouseSubcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Discharged.
01/14/2020HouseSubcommittee Hearings Held.
Action By: House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife
12/04/2019HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
Action By: Committee on Natural Resources
11/15/2019HouseReferred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
11/15/2019HouseIntroduced in House

Cosponsors (6)

* = Original cosponsor
CosponsorDate Cosponsored
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]* 11/15/2019
Rep. Palazzo, Steven M. [R-MS-4]* 11/15/2019
Rep. Cunningham, Joe [D-SC-1] 12/11/2019
Rep. Rooney, Francis [R-FL-19] 12/11/2019
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] 01/13/2020
Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11] 09/24/2020

Committees (2)

Committees, subcommittees and links to reports associated with this bill are listed here, as well as the nature and date of committee activity and Congressional report number.

Committee / Subcommittee Date Activity Reports
House Natural Resources11/15/2019 Referred to
03/11/2020 Markup by
09/24/2020 Reported by H. Rept. 116-531
House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife12/04/2019 Referred to
01/14/2020 Hearings by
03/11/2020 Discharged from
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation10/19/2020 Referred to

A related bill may be a companion measure, an identical bill, a procedurally-related measure, or one with text similarities. Bill relationships are identified by the House, the Senate, or CRS, and refer only to same-congress measures.


Latest Summary (3)

There are 3 summaries for H.R.5126. View summaries

Shown Here:
Passed House (10/01/2020)

Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020 or the DESCEND Act of 2020

This bill addresses the use of descending devices to release reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. (A descending device is an instrument that will release fish at a depth sufficient for the fish to be able to recover from the effects of barotrauma.)

Specifically, the bill requires

  • commercial and recreational fishermen to possess a venting tool or descending device that is rigged and ready for use when fishing for reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico Exclusive Economic Zone,
  • the Department of Commerce to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study and produce a report on discard mortality in the Gulf reef fish fisheries, and
  • Commerce and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to develop guidance for reporting discards and associated mortality and develop a plan to assess the effectiveness and usage of barotrauma-reducing devices.