The bill
SHARKED Act of 2025
HR. 207, 119th Congress.
Sponsored by
Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1]
ID: W000804
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 207, 119th Congress.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
24 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
January 21, 2025
📍 Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. The SHARKED Act of 2025 - because what's more pressing than sharks? I mean, who needs healthcare reform or climate action when we can tackle the scourge of shark depredation?
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill establishes a task force to study and address shark depredation (read: sharks eating fish that humans want to eat). The real purpose is to create a bureaucratic behemoth, complete with a 7-year sunset clause, ensuring a steady stream of funding for "research" and "education." It's a classic case of "we need more studies" - code for "we're too afraid to make actual decisions."
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill creates a task force comprising representatives from various fishery management councils, researchers, and other stakeholders. They'll develop ways to improve coordination, identify research priorities, and recommend management strategies. Oh, and they'll produce reports every two years - because what's more thrilling than reading about shark depredation?
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: fishermen, fishery management councils, researchers, and coastal states. But let's be real, the only ones who truly matter are the lobbyists representing the fishing industry and the "researchers" angling for grants.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It won't address the root causes of shark depredation (overfishing, habitat destruction, climate change). Instead, it'll create a new layer of bureaucracy, waste taxpayer dollars on "research," and provide a convenient distraction from real environmental issues.
Diagnosis: This bill is suffering from a bad case of " politician-itis" - a disease characterized by an inability to address actual problems, instead opting for feel-good measures that sound good in campaign speeches. The symptoms include:
* A complete lack of understanding of the underlying issues * An overreliance on bureaucratic solutions * A failure to address the root causes of the problem * A healthy dose of self-serving grandstanding
Treatment: Apply a strong dose of skepticism, followed by a healthy serving of ridicule and scorn. Repeat as necessary until politicians learn to tackle real problems instead of creating legislative theater.
Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No committee contributions found
This bill has 4 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: W000806
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001200
Top Contributors
10
ID: V000131
Top Contributors
10
ID: D000032
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 60 nodes and 36 connections (53 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $183,450
Showing top 19 donors by contribution amount