Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Jared Golden and 1 co-sponsor

The bill extends the duration of existing North Atlantic right whale regulations without changing their substance.

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-766.

Summary of HR 9436 (119th Congress)

Purpose and intent

HR 9436 amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to extend the time period during which certain regulations related to the North Atlantic right whale are in effect. The bill aims to prolong regulatory measures intended to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale, likely by maintaining existing protections or compliance deadlines for a longer window, pending further actions or analyses.

Key provisions and changes

Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to extend the effective period of certain regulatory protections concerning the North Atlantic right whale.

The extension pertains to requirements or restrictions established by those regulations, rather than creating new protections or expanding them beyond what is currently in law.

The text suggests a straight extension of the time period for which these regulations remain in force, rather than a modification of the substantive content of the regulations themselves.

The bill does not appear to introduce new penalties, funding authorizations, or programmatic changes beyond extending the regulatory duration.

Affected parties and scope

Regulators and agencies implementing North Atlantic right whale protections (e.g., protections that affect maritime activities, fishing practices, or other human activities implicated in whale conservation) would be directly impacted, as the duration of compliance requirements would be extended.

Industries and stakeholders subject to these regulations (fishing fleets, shipping, offshore industries, fisheries, and coastal communities) may experience continued regulatory obligations for a longer period.

The extension is narrowly targeted to the duration of existing regulations tied to the North Atlantic right whale and does not indicate broader changes to habitat protections or species-wide rules.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced in the House on June 24, 2026.

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources (June 24, 2026).

The Committee held a consideration and markup session, and on July 15, 2026, the bill was ordered to be reported in the nature of a substitute (amended) with a recorded vote of 22 yeas and 13 nays.

The “Nature of a Substitute (Amended)” indicates the committee approved an amended substitute version of the bill, potentially incorporating changes from stakeholder input or technical corrections, before sending it back for floor consideration.

No specific fiscal appropriations or new funding are identified in the summary provided; the bill’s focus is the extension of regulatory duration rather than new program funding.

Practical implications

If enacted, regulated activities tied to the North Atlantic right whale would continue under the current regulatory framework for a longer period.

Businesses and regulators should monitor whether the extension aligns with ongoing conservation assessments and any forthcoming regulatory updates or whale population recovery plans.

Stakeholders may seek clarification on the exact duration extension (e.g., how many years or regulatory milestones are extended) once the final text is available.

Note

This summary reflects the information available from the action history and bill title. For precise statutory language, the exact extension period, and any accompanying amendments, consult the bill’s text and the committee report once publicly released.