Sponsors (2)
The bill expands Lake Champlain restoration and research partnerships and strengthens fiscal-agent oversight and continuity, but it grants the selected fiscal agent temporary noncompetitive contracting privileges and reprogramming authority that may limit competition and create short-term funding or coordination disruptions.
State and local agencies, nonprofits, and universities in the Lake Champlain basin can partner with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to fund and carry out fisheries research, invasive-species control, and habitat restoration, increasing local scientific and restoration capacity.
State and local governments, nonprofits, and other stakeholders gain a formal fiscal-agent selection and review process with required stakeholder consultation and congressional reporting, which increases transparency and accountability over program administration.
Nonprofits and grantees administering projects tied to the program are protected by continuity requirements intended to preserve staff, programs, and funding awards during transitions between fiscal agents, reducing disruption to ongoing projects and services.
Nonprofits and small organizations face reduced competition because the selected fiscal agent may receive sole-source, noncompetitive awards until a replacement is chosen, limiting opportunities for other qualified administrators.
Nonprofits and state/local grantees could experience payment delays or budget disruption because the program is given authority to de-obligate and re-obligate unobligated or unexpended funds during fiscal-agent transitions.
Local and state governments and border communities may face coordination and jurisdictional complexities from expanded authorization for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to operate in Lake Champlain and increased cross-border collaboration with Canadian authorities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 12, 2026 by Elise M. Stefanik · Last progress February 12, 2026
Creates a formal, recurring process for selecting and reviewing a fiscal agent to manage the Lake Champlain Basin Program, requires continuity and accountability for funds and staff during transitions, and adds reporting to Congress after each review. It also authorizes the U.S. Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to carry out and fund fisheries, invasive species, and related work in the Lake Champlain and portions of the Saint Lawrence River basin in Vermont and New York, and clarifies key program definitions. The changes take effect on enactment, require fiscal-agent assessments at least every five years, allow noncompetitive funding to the selected fiscal agent until replacement, permit the Administrator to de-obligate and re-obligate unspent funds to a new fiscal agent, and obligate the U.S. Section to coordinate with federal, state, local, nonprofit, academic, and Canadian authorities on basin work. Reports must be sent to two congressional committees within 90 days after each fiscal-agent assessment.