MAPWaters Act of 2025
Signed into law Dec 26, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
What this law does
- Requires the Forest Service and Interior Department to create shared standards for map data on public recreational access to federal waterways and fishing limits.
- Requires them to put waterway restriction, access, navigation and fishing limit map data online within five years.
- Requires waterway data updates at least twice a year and fishing limit updates as changes take effect.
- Requires a way for the public to send questions or comments about the data, and yearly progress reports to Congress.
Plain-language list by Voting On, based only on the official summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service and the bill's titles. Read the official summary.
How it became law
- IntroducedJan 3, 2025 · House
- 18 daysPassed HouseJan 21, 2025
- 329 daysPassed SenateDec 16, 2025
- 2 daysPresented to the PresidentDec 18, 2025
- 8 daysSigned into lawDec 26, 2025
Official summary
Modernizing Access to our Public Waters Act or the MAPWaters Act of 2025 or the MAPWaters Act of 2025
This act directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to standardize and publish data relating to the public's access to federal waterways for recreational use.
(Sec. 3) The Forest Service and Interior must jointly develop and adopt interagency standards for data collection and dissemination of geospatial data relating to public outdoor recreational access of federal waterways and federal fishing restrictions. The standards must ensure compatibility and interoperability among applicable federal databases with respect to collection and dissemination of such data.
(Sec. 4) Within five years, the Forest Service and Interior must also digitize and make publicly available online certain geographic information system data about (1) federal waterway restrictions, (2) federal waterway access and navigation information, and (3) federal fishing restrictions. They must also update the data about waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information at least twice per year. Data about fishing restrictions must be updated in real time as changes go into effect.
The Forest Service and Interior must also develop a process to allow members of the public to submit questions or comments regarding the data regarding waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information.
The requirements under this section do not apply to irrigation canals and flowage easements.
(Sec. 5) To carry out the act, the Forest Service and Interior may (1) coordinate and partner with nonfederal agencies, private entities, and nonprofit partners; and (2) enter into agreements with third parties.
The Forest Service and Interior may work with the U.S. Geological Survey to collect, aggregate, digitize, standardize, and publish data on their behalf.
(Sec. 6) The Forest Service and Interior must annually report to specified congressional committees on their progress in meeting the requirements of this act.
Summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Dec 26, 2025).
Who wrote it
Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1]
3 cosponsors: 2 Democrats, 1 Republicans. 3 signed on the day it was introduced.
Show all cosponsors
| Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|
| Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] | Jan 3, 2025 | Original cosponsor |
| Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] | Jan 3, 2025 | Original cosponsor |
| Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6] | Jan 3, 2025 | Original cosponsor |
Recorded votes
| Date | Chamber | Vote | Yeas | Nays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 21, 2025 | House | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 19). | 413 | 0 |
What was added
Amendments adopted (0)
No floor amendments were adopted. Any changes were made in committee or in a later version of the bill.
Sections in the final law that were not in the first version (Introduced in House) (0)
None. Every section heading in the final law was already in the first version (Introduced in House).
What was removed
Sections in the first version (Introduced in House) that did not make it into the law (0)
None. Every section heading from the first version (Introduced in House) remains in the law.
Compared by section heading between the Introduced in House text (Jan 3, 2025) and the Enrolled Bill text, both from GovInfo. Wording changes inside a section that kept its heading are not shown here; see the amendments and the text versions.
Proposed but not adopted
No amendments were voted down or withdrawn.
Full action history
Show all 24 official actions
| Dec 26, 2025 | Signed by President. |
| Dec 26, 2025 | Signed by President. |
| Dec 26, 2025 | Became Public Law No: 119-62. |
| Dec 26, 2025 | Became Public Law No: 119-62. |
| Dec 18, 2025 | Presented to President. |
| Dec 18, 2025 | Presented to President. |
| Dec 17, 2025 | Message on Senate action sent to the House. |
| Dec 16, 2025 | Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent. |
| Dec 16, 2025 | Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent. |
| Dec 16, 2025 | Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. |
| Dec 16, 2025 | Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S8766-8768) |
| Jan 22, 2025 | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. |
| Jan 21, 2025 | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. |
| Jan 21, 2025 | Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 19). (text: CR H238-239) |
| Jan 21, 2025 | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 19). (text: CR H238-239) |
| Jan 21, 2025 | Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H250-251) |
| Jan 21, 2025 | At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed. |
| Jan 21, 2025 | DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 187. |
| Jan 21, 2025 | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H238-240) |
| Jan 21, 2025 | Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. |
| Jan 3, 2025 | Introduced in House |
| Jan 3, 2025 | Introduced in House |
| Jan 3, 2025 | Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. |
| Jan 3, 2025 | Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. |
Sources: Congress.gov (bill record, sponsors, actions, amendments, CRS summary) and GovInfo (official text). Days are calendar days.