H.R. 3692: Captain Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo Young Fishermen’s Development Act
Sponsor
Seth Moulton
Democrat · MA-6
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Mar 4, 2026
Passed the House, received in Senate
Keep the door open for new commercial fishermen
Why it matters
H.R. 3692 extends the Young Fishermen's Development Act through 2031, preserving the federal grant program that trains newcomers to break into commercial fishing. The law authorizes up to $2 million a year for that work, and its authority was set to run out in 2026. The bill also renames the act in honor of Captain Accursio "Gus" Sanfilippo.
H.R. 3692 is a short reauthorization. It does not write new fishing rules or rebuild the program — it changes one date, pushing the Young Fishermen's Development Act's authority from 2026 to 2031.
That program funds training, business and safety skills, and mentorship for people trying to enter commercial fishing. NOAA's Sea Grant network runs the grants. Without this bill, the legal authority behind that funding would have expired in 2026.
The bill also gives the law a new short title honoring Captain Accursio "Gus" Sanfilippo. The renaming is symbolic; the practical effect is continuity — five more years of authority to keep the training pipeline open.
Because the text is so narrow, the real-world impact depends on whether Congress actually funds the program. Reauthorizing the law sets the ceiling. Appropriators still write the checks each year.
H.R. 3692 Bill Summary
What H.R. 3692 actually does.
Five more years of grant authority
The bill changes the program's authorization end date from 2026 to 2031, keeping the Young Fishermen's Development Act in force for another five years.
Preserves up to $2 million a year
The underlying law authorizes up to $2 million annually for the program. Extending the act keeps that funding ceiling in place through 2031, though appropriators still decide what is actually spent.
Renamed to honor Captain Sanfilippo
The act's short title becomes the "Captain Accursio 'Gus' Sanfilippo Young Fishermen's Development Act."
Leaves the program itself untouched
The bill does not change who qualifies, how grants are awarded, or what the program funds. The only substantive change is the new end date.
Who benefits from H.R. 3692?
New and aspiring commercial fishermen
The program funds the training, business know-how, safety instruction, and mentorship that help people enter an industry with steep startup costs.
Coastal fishing communities
The bill's bipartisan cosponsors span Alaska, Maine, Hawaii, American Samoa, and beyond — a signal of how widely coastal towns rely on a steady supply of new fishermen.
Sea Grant programs and training partners
NOAA's Sea Grant network and the organizations it funds get five more years of certainty. Recent grant rounds have put roughly $1 million toward two to three projects.
Established fishing operations
Boat owners and seafood businesses depend on a pipeline of trained crew to replace workers who retire or leave the trade.
Who is affected by H.R. 3692?
NOAA Sea Grant and program administrators
They would continue running the young fishermen's grant program for another five years under the same rules.
Grant applicants and partner organizations
Training providers and other groups that apply for funding get a longer window to plan and compete for grants.
Appropriators
Reauthorizing the program sets a ceiling, not a budget. Congress still has to decide each year how much, if any, of the $2 million authorization to actually fund.
Cost & Funding
Authorization
Up to $2 million per year through FY2031
- The bill itself only moves the authorization end date from 2026 to 2031.
- The underlying law authorizes up to $2 million a year — over five years, that is a ceiling of about $10 million.
- Authorization is not the same as funding. Recent NOAA Sea Grant rounds have awarded around $1 million across two to three projects, so actual spending depends on annual appropriations.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 3692 has come up 13 times in the Congressional Record so far.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3692, the Captain Accursio "Gus" Sanfilippo Young Fishermen's Development Act, sponsored by Representative Moulton from Massachusetts. This bill is named after the captain of the Lily Jean, who tragically lost his life, along with six others, when the fishing vessel sank off the coast of Massachusetts in January. Our thoughts are with his family and the families of those who lost their lives in this terrible accident.
H.R. 3692 also appeared in 4 routine cosponsor filings.
HR3692 Legislative Journey
Sent to Senate
Mar 4, 2026
Received in the Senate.
House: Vote Held
Mar 3, 2026
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2358)
House: Committee Action
Oct 31, 2025
Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-356.
House: Passed Committee
Sep 17, 2025
Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
+2 more actions this day
House: Committee Action
Sep 3, 2025
Subcommittee Hearings Held
House: Committee Action
Aug 29, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
House: Committee Action
Jun 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
About the Sponsor
Seth Moulton
Democrat, Massachusetts's 6th congressional district · 11 years in Congress
Committees: House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure
View full profile →
Cosponsors (8)
This bill has 8 cosponsors: 2 Democrats, 6 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 7 states: Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, and 4 more.
Committee Sponsors
Natural Resources Committee
4 of 45 committee members cosponsored
19 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
What laws does H.R. 3692 change?
1 changes
Sections Amended
Section 5(a) of Young Fishermen's Development Act (33 U.S.C. 1144(a))
striking ``2026'' and inserting ``2031''
H.R. 3692 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Natural Resources
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Introduced
- Jun 3, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Mar 4, 2026
Official Sources
Full bill text, cosponsors, actions, and current status — passed the House on March 3, 2026 by voice vote
The specific statute section HR 3692 amends — currently authorizes $2M/year through FY2026, bill extends to FY2031
The underlying law enacted Jan. 5, 2021 that established the Young Fishermen's Development Grant Program
House Natural Resources Committee report on HR 3692, filed Oct. 31, 2025
Current grants.gov listing for NOAA Sea Grant Young Fishermen's Career Development Projects — ~$1M available for 2-3 projects
Senate version of the Young Fishermen's Development Extension Act — potential vehicle for Senate action
Who is lobbying on H.R. 3692?
1 organization lobbying on this bill
GULF OF MEXICO REEF FISH SHAREHOLDERS' ALLIANCE | 1 |
Showing 1-1 of 1 organizations
H.R. 3692 Common Questions
What does H.R. 3692 actually do?
It extends the Young Fishermen's Development Act through 2031 and renames it. The only substantive change is pushing the program's authorization date from 2026 to 2031.
Would the program have ended without this bill?
Its legal authority was set to run out in 2026. H.R. 3692 pushes that to 2031, keeping the young fishermen's grant program alive for another five years.
How much money does the program get?
The underlying law authorizes up to $2 million a year. That is a ceiling, not a guarantee — recent NOAA Sea Grant rounds have awarded around $1 million across two to three projects, and appropriators set the final number.
Who can apply for a young fishermen's grant?
NOAA Sea Grant programs and the training and outreach organizations they fund. H.R. 3692 does not change who qualifies — it only extends the program's authority.
Why is the act being renamed?
H.R. 3692 retitles the law the "Captain Accursio 'Gus' Sanfilippo Young Fishermen's Development Act" in his honor. The renaming is symbolic and does not change how the program works.
Has H.R. 3692 become law yet?
Not yet. The House passed it by voice vote on March 3, 2026, and it was received in the Senate the next day. It still needs Senate passage and the president's signature.
Does extending the program guarantee the money gets spent?
No. Reauthorizing the act sets a spending ceiling; it does not appropriate funds. Congress still decides each year how much of the $2 million authorization to actually fund.
Based on H.R. 3692 bill text
H.R. 3692 Bill Text
“To reauthorize the Young Fishermen’s Development Act.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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