Gulf Fisheries Fairness Act

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 15, 2013

Gulf Fisheries Fairness Act - Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to provide each of the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida with exclusive fishery management authority over reef fish: (1) within the exclusive economic zone in the Gulf of Mexico in waters of a specified average depth on a continuous line within a minimum distance of nine nautical miles from the baseline from which the territorial sea of the United States is measured, and (2) between projected jurisdictional lines determined by the President under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to publish a description and map of the applicable line along the coasts of such states.

Prohibits the Secretary from suspending, revoking, terminating, or otherwise limiting the authority of any person under federal law to engage in fishing based on the person fishing for Gulf reef fish in waters subject to the exclusive authority of such states.

Exempts such waters from specified federal regulatory requirements addressing fishery permits.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Bonner, Jo [R-AL-1] · R–AL

Committees

Natural Resources Committee

12 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Mar 15, 2013
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Mar 15, 2013
Introduced in House
Mar 15, 2013
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Mar 15, 2013 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Analyze H.R.1219 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss H.R.1219, 113th Congress: Gulf Fisheries Fairness Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1219

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2013-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr1219/BILLS-113hr1219ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:35:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.1219 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

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Examine H.R.1219 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss H.R.1219, 113th Congress: Gulf Fisheries Fairness Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1219

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2013-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr1219/BILLS-113hr1219ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:35:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1219 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Conservative lens

Examine H.R.1219 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Discuss H.R.1219, 113th Congress: Gulf Fisheries Fairness Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1219

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2013-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr1219/BILLS-113hr1219ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:35:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1219 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Examine H.R.1219 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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Discuss H.R.1219, 113th Congress: Gulf Fisheries Fairness Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1219

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2013-03-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr1219/BILLS-113hr1219ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:35:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1219 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.