House Advances Legislation Supporting NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office

A U.S. House committee advanced bipartisan legislation today supporting Chesapeake Bay science, restoration, and education work at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office.

The House Natural Resources Committee reported out the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act. The bill reauthorizes funding for NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office, which undertakes science that is vital to efforts from oyster restoration to fisheries management to climate change research.

The legislation also for the first time ever authorizes the Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, which supports hands-on outdoor learning for students across the Chesapeake Bay region.

The WATERS Act was introduced by Virginia Representatives Bobby Scott, Rob Wittman, and Jennifer Kiggans, and Maryland Representative Sarah Elfreth.

The committee also advanced Rep. Wittman’s Advancing Water Research and Collaboration Act of 2025. This bill provides funding for federal-state partnerships to conduct research on state and regional water issues like nutrient pollution into the Chesapeake Bay. The bill is also supported by Virginia Representatives John McGuire, Morgan Griffith, and Jennifer Kiggans, and Maryland Representative April McClain Delaney.

CBF Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement.

“The House just took a key step toward investment in the science, restoration, and education that’s essential to the Chesapeake Bay’s recovery.

“The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office spearheads research key to cleaner water, healthier fisheries, and stronger local businesses. NOAA’s B-WET program gives students unforgettable outdoor learning experiences while building the next generation of Chesapeake Bay stewards.

“We’re grateful to House leaders for advancing the WATERS Act and look forward to action in the Senate on the companion bill.”