# 119-hr-7788: Maryland Whole Watershed Program Federal Partnership Act

119-hr-7788, Maryland Whole Watershed Program Federal Partnership Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3] (D-MD); status in_committee (as of 2026-08-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7788
- As of: 2026-08-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7788
- Congress: 119
- Title: Maryland Whole Watershed Program Federal Partnership Act
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2026-03-04
- Sponsor: Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3] (D-MD)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Policy area: Environmental Protection
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-01

## Summary

**Expands the Chesapeake Bay Program Office's advisory role beyond Maryland.** This bill would let the Office advise and coordinate with state and local governments and federal agencies and offer technical help and financial resources for projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. - States with a Whole Watershed Program would be able to include the Chesapeake Bay Program Office as an advisory member of their State Management Team when their program is substantially similar to Maryland's, creating a pathway for cross-state coordination. - Local governments and project sponsors in the Chesapeake Bay watershed could receive technical assistance and financial resources to carry out watershed improvement projects. - The Chesapeake Bay Program Office gains formal authority to coordinate across states and with federal agencies while its role remains advisory rather than binding.

## Cosponsors (4)

- Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2] (D-MD), 2026-03-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7] (D-MD), 2026-03-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8] (D-MD), 2026-03-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] (D-MD), 2026-04-09T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More watershed support for Chesapeake states: benefit, medium. If enacted, this bill would make the Chesapeake Bay Program Office an advisory member of State Management Teams for the Maryland Whole Watershed Program and similar State watershed programs. It would define the Chesapeake Bay Program Office as the office established under section 117(b) of the Fede…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-7788 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7788)

## Related
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7788 (as of 2026-08-01).