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HR45 • 2026

urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Joseph Barton (R), Jim Kofalt (R), Jennifer Mandelbaum (D), Joe Alexander (R), Tom Mannion (R), Daniel Innis (R), Michael Granger (R)
Last action
2026-02-05
Official status
PASSED
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

What This Bill Does

  • urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-05 H

    FLAM #2026-0389h (Rep. Barton): AA VV 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 57

  2. 2026-02-05 H

    Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0389h: MA RC 205-129 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 57

  3. 2026-01-22 H

    Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass 01/16/2026 (Vote 8-6; RC) HC 5 P. 28

  4. 2026-01-22 H

    Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate

  5. 2026-01-08 H

    Public Hearing: 01/16/2026 01:30 pm GP 228

  6. 2026-01-08 H

    Executive Session: 01/16/2026 02:00 pm GP 228

  7. 2025-12-04 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs HJ 1 P. 40

Official Summary Text

urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HR 45 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

5Feb2026... 0389h
2026 SESSION
26-2485
06/05

HOUSE RESOLUTION
45

A RESOLUTION
urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

SPONSORS: Rep. Barton, Graf. 1; Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 29; Rep. Granger, Straf. 2; Rep. Kofalt, Hills. 32; Rep. Tom Mannion, Hills. 1; Rep. Mandelbaum, Rock. 21; Sen. Innis, Dist 7

COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

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ANALYSIS

This resolution urges Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

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5Feb2026... 0389h 26-2485
06/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

A RESOLUTION
urging Congress to find that the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor lie within the state of New Hampshire.

Whereas, jurisdiction and control over the whole of the Piscataqua River is and always has been entirely within the county of Rockingham and this state; and
Whereas, complete dominion and ownership of the tidal waters and submerged lands of the whole of the Piscataqua River, including Portsmouth Harbor, are solely vested in the sovereign people of the state of New Hampshire, encumbered only by the national navigational servitude over the river and its harbor as a navigable inland waterway and arm of the sea; and
Whereas, the Piscataqua River and those geographic features located within it are of immense value to New Hampshire; and
Whereas, the state of New Hampshire holds absolute right and title to those lands submerged under the navigable waters of the whole of the Piscataqua River in trust for the people of the state; and
Whereas, the public trust in the Piscataqua River for the public use of the people of this state may only be ensured by the adequate protection, management, and control by the state over the entirety of the river and its submerged lands in which the whole of the people of this state are interested; and
Whereas, the state of New Hampshire petitioned the United States Supreme Court to decide the location of the boundary, the Court refused to hear the case and establish the location of the boundary of the inner Piscataqua River and its harbor; and
Whereas, the legislative boundary commission established by 2003, 103 (HB 343) found in its October 29, 2004 final report that the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth Harbor is not patrolled and laws are not enforced in a manner that ensures the people of New Hampshire the utmost security and protection; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the general court asks the New Hampshire congressional delegation to introduce legislation and take such additional steps as may be necessary and appropriate to establish the location of the boundary between New Hampshire and Maine in the inner Piscataqua River; and
That Seavey Island and Badger Island fall within the boundaries of the state of New Hampshire, and that the general court asks the New Hampshire congressional delegation to introduce legislation to designate the duty stations of all Portsmouth Naval Shipyard personnel as Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
That the general court asks the President of the United States to take such action as to designate the duty stations of all Portsmouth Naval Shipyard personnel as Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
That copies of this resolution, signed by the speaker of the house of representatives, be sent by the clerk of the house of representatives to each member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation and to the President of the United States. At the discretion of the speaker of the house of representatives, the speaker may prepare and include such correspondence as the speaker deems appropriate to accompany the transmittal of this resolution, describing the nature of the house of representative’s request, and may invite members of the house of representatives to voluntarily communicate such requests to members of the New Hampshire congressional delegation and the administration.