Buy American Seafood Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8337
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-16: 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.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-01T21:41:23Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Buy American Seafood Act (H.R. 8337) aims to require the federal government to purchase only U.S.-produced seafood for specific food assistance and service programs, promoting domestic fishing, aquaculture (farming of fish and other aquatic life), and processing industries while restricting foreign imports.
Key Provisions
- Procurement Ban (Sec. 2): Federal agencies cannot buy seafood for "covered food programs" (federal programs that buy or distribute food) unless it is:
- Harvested in the U.S. by a U.S.-flagged fishing vessel (a ship registered in the U.S. and allowed to fish in U.S. waters); or
- Produced or processed in the U.S. via aquaculture or domestic seafood processing (operations in the U.S. that turn raw seafood into food products).
- Waiver Authority (Sec. 3): Agency heads can waive the ban if the Secretary of Agriculture finds U.S. seafood is insufficient in quantity or fails food safety/quality standards. Waivers must be published in the Federal Register (official government notice journal) and reported to Congress within 30 days, detailing the program, seafood type, duration, and justification.
- School Nutrition Amendments (Sec. 4): Updates the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to:
- Define "domestic commodity or product" to include U.S.-harvested or aquaculture/processed seafood.
- Add a similar waiver process specifically for school lunch and breakfast programs.
- Implementation (Sec. 5): Secretary of Agriculture, with input from Commerce and Defense Secretaries, must issue regulations within 180 days of enactment and provide guidance to agencies.
- Definitions (Sec. 6): Clarifies terms like "seafood" (finfish, shellfish, crustaceans, shrimp, etc.), "U.S.-produced" (harvested, raised, and processed in U.S. waters, including the exclusive economic zone or EEZ – ocean area up to 200 nautical miles offshore), and "covered food programs" (e.g., emergency food aid, Department of Defense meals, FEMA disaster relief food, other federally funded food distribution).
- Funding (Sec. 7): No new money authorized; uses existing funds.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands "Buy American" rules in the National School Lunch Act to explicitly cover seafood with new definitions and waiver processes.
- Imposes a new nationwide prohibition on foreign seafood for a broad range of federal food programs, overriding other laws unless waived.
- Introduces standardized waiver reporting requirements not previously detailed for seafood.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increased sourcing from U.S. suppliers may raise costs or cause supply shortages, leading to waivers; requires new regulations and coordination across Agriculture, Defense, Commerce, and others like FEMA.
- Citizens: Schoolchildren, military personnel, disaster victims, and low-income recipients of emergency food may see more U.S. seafood in meals, potentially affecting nutrition, cost, or availability.
- International Relations: Could reduce U.S. imports of foreign seafood, straining trade with exporting countries (e.g., those supplying shrimp or finfish).
Main Stakeholders
- U.S. Seafood Industry: Fishermen, aquaculture farmers, and processors benefit from mandated purchases.
- Federal Agencies: Agriculture (oversight/waivers), Defense (military food), FEMA (disaster aid), and others running food programs.
- Schools and Recipients: Child nutrition programs, food banks, and disaster-affected individuals/communities.
- Foreign Exporters: Seafood suppliers from other countries face lost federal sales.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on agency rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act; waivers provide flexibility to avoid legal challenges over supply or standards. No additional funding avoids appropriations disputes.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power to set procurement conditions; no apparent free trade or commerce clause issues, as it targets federal purchases only.
- Political: Reinforces "Buy American" policies, potentially boosting domestic jobs but inviting debate on costs, food security, and trade retaliation. Referred to multiple committees (Education/Workforce, Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation/Infrastructure) signals broad jurisdictional interest.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-16: 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: 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: 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: 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: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Buy American Seafood Act — issued 2026-04-16 — PDF (10 pages)