SHARKED Act of 2025

Last action on Mar 4, 2026Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Order...

Summary

The SHARKED Act would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a task force to address shark depredation—when sharks intercept and damage fish that anglers are trying to reel in. The task force would include representatives from NOAA, federal and nonfederal fishing experts, shark researchers, and state wildlife agencies. It would coordinate research to identify which shark species are most involved in these interactions, study shark behavior and migration patterns, and develop recommendations to reduce harmful interactions between sharks and fishing communities. The task force would also create educational materials to help fishermen minimize shark encounters. The task force would operate for seven years and submit progress reports to Congress every two years. If enacted, the bill would cost approximately $500,000 annually to operate, with total costs estimated at $2 million over five years. The bill has already passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and is now eligible for a full Senate floor vote.

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Jul 30, 2025

HearingSenateMeeting

Jul 30, 2025 · 14:00

Business meeting to consider S.1691, to limit the use of facial recognition technology in airports, S.2314, to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force regarding shark depredation, S.2318, to amend the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to require the periodic update to the strategic plan to guide the Manufacturing USA Program to align with the mandatory updates to the National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing, S.2351, to supplement existing lease authorities available to the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to support research, education, and training, and the nominations of Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, Taylor Jordan, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary, and Harry Kumar, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary, all of the Department of Commerce, Paul Roberti, of Rhode Island, to be Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Jonathan Morrison, of California, to be Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Seval Oz, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary, Michael Rutherford, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary, and Gregory Zerzan, of Texas, to be General Counsel, all of the Department of Transportation, and Derek Barrs, of Florida, to be Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Committee

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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Summary

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, convened a business meeting on July 30, 2025, to consider four pieces of legislation and several nominations. S.1691, the Traveler Privacy Protection Act, limits the use of facial recognition or matching technology in airports for passenger screening and restricts the Transportation Security Administration's use of the technology to performing passenger identity verification at airport screening locations. The TSA must notify passengers prior to each use of the technology and receive affirmative express consent, and if a passenger opts out, the TSA must perform identity verification using an approved identification document without collecting biometric information. However, the committee pulled S.1691 from consideration at its business meeting. S.2314, the SHARKED Act, would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a task force to identify strategies to reduce shark depredation—the loss or damage of hooked fish to sharks before an angler can reel them in. S.2318, the Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act, would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to update its strategic plan to guide the Manufacturing USA program every four years to align that report with the release of the National Science and Technology Council's recurring report on advanced manufacturing. S.2351, the Space Exploration Research Act, aims to promote aeronautical and space research, educate a 21st century space workforce, and enhance U.S. commercial competitiveness in the space and aerospace industries by authorizing the Administrator of NASA to lease and lease-back certain property to alleviate roadblocks for the development and use of property adjacent to NASA facilities. The committee approved three bills and important nominations within the Departments of Commerce and Transportation. The hearing also included consideration of multiple nominations for positions in the Commerce and Transportation departments. A business meeting does not guarantee that bills will advance to the full Senate for a vote.

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Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-114.

Mar 4, 2026

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-114.

Mar 4, 2026

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SHARKED Act of 2025

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Legislative Subjects (6)

Related Legislation (2)

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Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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