Buy American Seafood Act

Julia Letlow

Republican · LA · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

1 cosponsor on record at Congress.gov. The named list is syncing into Govwatch and will appear here shortly — view on Congress.gov in the meantime.

Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.

2026-04-16

Source: Congress.gov

The federal government would be banned from buying seafood from foreign sources for school lunches, military meals, and other federally-funded food programs, requiring agencies to purchase American seafood instead. This would affect school districts, military bases, and other institutions that receive federal food funding, while potentially benefiting U.S. seafood producers and fishermen. The bill is currently being reviewed by multiple congressional committees to determine how it would work across different federal agencies and food programs.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8337 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8337 To prohibit any procurement by the Federal Government of foreign seafood for covered food programs, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 16, 2026 Ms. Letlow introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To prohibit any procurement by the Federal Government of foreign seafood for covered food programs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Buy American Seafood Act''. SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON PROCUREMENT OF FOREIGN SEAFOOD. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the head of an agency may not procure seafood for any covered food program unless such seafood is-- (1) harvested-- (A) in the United States; and (B) by a United States-flagged fishing vessel; or (2) produced or processed in the United States through aquaculture or domestic seafood processing. SEC. 3. LIMITED WAIVER AUTHORITY. (a) In General.--The head of an agency may waive the prohibition described in section 2 if the Secretary of Agriculture determines that the quantity of United States-produced seafood-- (1) is insufficient to meet the needs of the relevant covered food program; or (2) does not meet the applicable food safety or quality standards required under Federal law or the regulations of the relevant covered food program. (b) Publication; Report.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after a waiver is granted pursuant to subsection (a), the waiver shall be published in the Federal Register and reported to Congress. (2) Contents.--Each publication and report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) An identification of the relevant covered food program. (B) A description of the seafood covered by the waiver. (C) The duration of the waiver. (D) A description of the determination by the Secretary of Agriculture described in subsection (a) with respect to such waiver. SEC. 4. CHILD NUTRITION AMENDMENTS. Section 12(n) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(n)) is amended-- (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection: ``(A) Aquaculture.--The term `aquaculture' means the farming of aquatic organisms in controlled environments for human consumption. ``(B) Domestic commodity or product.--The term `domestic commodity or product' means-- ``(i) agricultural commodity that is produced in the United States; ``(ii) a food product that is processed in the United States substantially using agricultural commodities that are produced in the United States; and ``(iii) seafood that is-- ``(I) harvested-- ``(aa) in the United States; and ``(bb) by a United States- flagged fishing vessel; or ``(II) produced and processed in the United States through aquaculture or domestic seafood processing. ``(C) Domestic seafood processing.--The term `domestic seafood processing' means the processing operations that occur within the United States to materially transform seafood into a product intended for human consumption. ``(D) Exclusive economic zone.--The term `exclusive economic zone' has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802). ``(E) Seafood.--The term `seafood' means the following: ``(i) Finfish. ``(ii) Shellfish. ``(iii) Crustaceans. ``(iv) Shrimp. ``(v) Crawfish. ``(vi) Oysters. ``(vii) Catfish. ``(viii) Any other aquatic species…

intended for human consumption. ``(F) United states-flagged fishing vessel.--The term `United States-flagged fishing vessel' means a vessel-- ``(i) documented under chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code; and ``(ii) eligible to operate in the exclusive economic zone. ``(G) United states-produced.--The term `United States-produced' means harvested, raised, and processed within the United States, including the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of the United States.''; and (2) in paragraph (2)-- (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``and subparagraph (C)'' after ``subparagraph (B)''; and (B) by adding at the end the following: ``(C) Waiver for seafood.-- ``(i) In general.--The Secretary may waive the requirement under subparagraph (A) with respect to seafood described in paragraph (1)(C) if the Secretary determines that the quantity of United States-produced seafood-- ``(I) is insufficient to meet the needs of the school lunch program under this Act or the school breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773); or ``(II) does not meet the applicable food safety or quality standards required under this Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.). ``(ii) Publication; report.-- ``(I) In general.--Not later than 30 days after a waiver is granted pursuant to clause (i), the waiver shall be published in the Federal Register and reported to Congress. ``(II) Contents.--Each publication and report required by subclause (I) shall include the following: ``(aa) A description of whether the waiver is with respect to the school lunch program under this Act or the school breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773). ``(bb) A description of the seafood covered by the waiver. ``(cc) The duration of the waiver. ``(dd) A description of the determination by the Secretary described in clause (i) with respect to such waiver.''. SEC. 5. IMPLEMENTATION. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Defense-- (1) shall promulgate, under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, regulations to carry out this Act; and (2) may issue guidance consistent with such regulations to agencies to carry out this Act. SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Aquaculture.--The term ``aquaculture'' means the farming of aquatic organisms in controlled environments for human consumption. (2) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code. (3) Covered food program.--The term ``covered food program'' means the following: (A) Any program carried out under the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501 et seq.). (B) A subsistence or food service program of the Department of Defense. (C) Any program to provide food in an area in which the President has declared a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) carried out by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (D) Any other program of an agency that purchases or distributes food using Federal funds. (4) Domestic seafood processing.--The term ``domestic seafood processing'' means the processing operations that occur within the United States to materially transform seafood into a product intended for human consumption. (5) Exclusive economic zone.--The term ``exclusive economic zone'' has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802). (6) Seafood.--The term ``seafood'' means the following: (A) Finfish. (B) Shellfish. (C) Crustaceans. (D) Shrimp. (E) Crawfish. (F) Oysters. (G) Catfish. (H) Any other aquatic species intended for human consumption. (7) United states-flagged fishing vessel.--The term ``United States-flagged fishing vessel'' means a vessel-- (A) documented under chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code; and (B) eligible to operate in the exclusive economic zone. (8) United states-produced.--The term ``United States- produced'' means harvested, raised, and processed within the United States, including the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of the United States. SEC. 7. NO ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act. <all>

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