Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act

Sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) · 1 active : 1 Independent

Latest action: Became Public Law No: 119-116.

Read the summary

Where it standsBecame law

Became law

Senate: passedSep 10, 2025
House: passedSep 14, 2026
President: Signed into lawSep 25, 2026

11 senators score as swing votes

Summary

, via Congress.gov

Summary on Congress.gov

Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act

This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to publish geospatial data related to public recreational use of federal waterways (e.g., boating and fishing).

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Under the bill, NOAA must consult with relevant stakeholders (including state and local governments, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations) to develop and adopt standards for the coordination and dissemination of geospatial data relating to fishing restrictions and recreational vessels' use of federal waterways, including the exclusive economic zone of the United States (EEZ). (The EEZ generally includes waters between 3 and 200 miles seaward from the U.S. coastline.)

Within four years after the bill is enacted, NOAA must provide geographic information system data on a public website that identifies and describes the locations where and conditions under which certain recreational activities are restricted in federal waterways. Specifically, the website must identify (1) locations where fishing restrictions are imposed, (2) areas in the EEZ with restrictions on specified recreational vessel types, and (3) federally protected areas (e.g., National Marine Sanctuaries). NOAA must also continue to provide digitized navigation information related to the EEZ and make the information available on the website to the extent practicable.

The bill allows NOAA to coordinate and partner with nonfederal entities to carry out this bill. It also directs NOAA to work with other federal agencies to ensure compatibility and interoperability among federal databases with respect to collecting and disseminating geospatial data related to the public outdoor recreational use of the EEZ.

Committees and subjects

Committees

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · SenateReported by · Markup by · Referred to

Subjects

Data collection, sharing, protection
Geography and mapping
Government information and archives
Hunting and fishing
Internet, web applications, social media
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Outdoor recreation

Senate · 100 House · 433

Model

v3defaultv2

Directional: count only breaks toward the other party Why do scores change?

How the House breaks down

70Swing 70–100
205Middle 30–70
152Entrenched 0–30
6Insufficient data not ranked

Members fall into . 6 representatives don’t have enough data yet and are marked “insufficient data”. Non-voting delegates are not counted. The bill is not before the House right now; these scores show where members would stand.

Key players in the House

Ranked by swing score, 0–100 · swing-v3, directional

: only movement toward the other party counts, so members who sit further from the center than their party no longer score as swing votes.

Bars show each input from 0 to 100: ideology gap, scorecard gap, , and the . is the seat’s partisan lean, and shows how much of the input data a score has.

Similar past votes, House

Earlier behind swing-v3’s input

Similar votes count toward swing-v3 in the House: total similarity weight 14.5 (needs 5.0).

H.R. 7084 · Mar 27, 2026 · Roll call 465On PassageDefending American Property Abroad Act
PassedSame policy area×0.5
S. 2503 · Feb 24, 2026 · Roll call 432On Motion to Suspend the Rules and PassROTOR Act
FailedSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 1836 · Mar 21, 2024 · Roll call 816On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as AmendedOcean Shipping Reform Implementation Act
PassedSame policy area×0.5
S.J.Res. 38 · Jan 11, 2024 · Roll call 726On PassageProviding for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Highway Administration relating to “Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers”
PassedSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 1547 · Dec 5, 2023 · Roll call 689On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as AmendedOne Seat Ride Act
PassedSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 3935 · Jul 20, 2023 · Roll call 363On PassageSecuring Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act
PassedSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 3935 · Jul 20, 2023 · Roll call 362On Agreeing to the Amendment
FailedSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 3935 · Jul 20, 2023 · Roll call 361On Agreeing to the Amendment
FailedSame policy area×0.5

Show 17 more

H.R. 3935 · Jul 20, 2023 · Roll call 360On Agreeing to the Amendment
Agreed toSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 3935 · Jul 19, 2023 · Roll call 359On Agreeing to the Amendment
FailedSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 3935 · Jul 19, 2023 · Roll call 358On Agreeing to the Amendment
FailedSame policy area×0.5
H.R. 3935 · Jul 19, 2023 · Roll call 357On Agreeing to the Amendment
FailedSame policy area×0.5

Cosponsors

1 active

Show all 1 cosponsors

Angus S. King Jr. (I-ME)

How the swing score works

Ideology gapHow far a member’s DW-NOMINATE voting score sits from their party’s median in the same chamber.

Scorecard gapHow far their Heritage Action and LCV ratings stray from their party’s average, using the groups’ votes on similar bills where available.

Cross-pressureHow strongly their district or state leans toward the other party, from our own computed partisan lean.

Similar votesHow often they voted against their own party on earlier roll calls about this bill or similar ones.

Committee bonusMembers of the committees handling the bill decide whether it moves, so they get a boost.

Cosponsor checkThe sponsor and active cosponsors have already committed, so they drop toward entrenched.

1
Jared F. GoldenDemocrat · Maine 2nd · Lean R+4On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 26% of 27 similar votes
95Swing
ContactCall 202-225-6306 Website
2
Marie Gluesenkamp PerezDemocrat · Washington 3rd · Lean R+2On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 23% of 29 similar votes
93Swing
ContactCall 202-225-3536 Website
3
Brian K. FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania 1st · Lean D+1On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 45% of 29 similar votes
93Swing
ContactCall 202-225-4276 Website
4
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York 17th · Lean D+1On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 36% of 29 similar votes
92Swing
ContactCall 202-225-6506 Website
5
Henry CuellarDemocrat · Texas 28th · Lean R+2On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 22% of 25 similar votes
91Swing
ContactCall 202-225-1640 Website
6
Don BaconRepublican · Nebraska 2nd · Lean D+3On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 20% of 29 similar votes
90Swing
ContactCall 202-225-4155 Website
7
Thomas H. KeanRepublican · New Jersey 7th · Lean EVENOn the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 30% of 28 similar votes
90Swing
ContactCall 202-225-5361 Website
8
Donald G. DavisDemocrat · North Carolina 1st · Lean R+1On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 26% of 9 similar votes
88Swing
ContactCall 202-225-3101 Website
9
Thomas R. SuozziDemocrat · New York 3rd · Lean EVENOn the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 20% of 3 similar votes
88Swing
ContactCall 202-225-3335 Website
10
David G. ValadaoRepublican · California 22nd · Lean R+1On the ballot
Ideology gap
Scorecard gap
Cross-pressure
Similar votes
CommitteeNo committee seatBroke with party on 22% of 29 similar votes
88Swing
ContactCall 202-225-4695 Website