Save Our Shrimpers Act

Bill Number: S. 4863
Origin Chamber: Senate
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Last Updated: 2026-07-09T12:40:50Z

AI-Generated Summary

Save Our Shrimpers Act (S. 4863)

Purpose

This legislation directs the United States to oppose international financial assistance for shrimp-related projects abroad, with the goal of limiting support for foreign shrimp farming, processing, and exports through multilateral institutions.

Key Provisions

Voice and Vote Requirement: The Secretary of the Treasury must instruct U.S. Executive Directors at international financial institutions to oppose any funding for projects involving shrimp farming, processing, or export in borrowing countries.
Waiver Authority: The Secretary may waive this opposition for a specific project by notifying Congress that the waiver serves the national interest of the United States.
Sunset Clause: The opposition requirement expires after seven years from the date of enactment.
Definition Reference: International financial institutions are defined as those listed in section 1701(c)(2) of the International Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262r(c)(2)).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

The bill introduces a new statutory directive requiring U.S. representatives at international financial institutions to take a specific position on shrimp production projects. It does not amend prior statutes but adds a targeted policy instruction with a temporary duration and a national-interest waiver mechanism.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: The Department of the Treasury gains responsibility for issuing instructions and handling waiver notifications to Congress.
Citizens: U.S. shrimp producers may benefit from reduced international financing for competing foreign operations.
International Relations: The measure could affect U.S. engagement with borrowing countries (often developing nations) and institutions such as the World Bank by limiting support for certain agricultural and export activities.

Main Stakeholders Affected

U.S. shrimp industry participants.
The Department of the Treasury and U.S. Executive Directors at international financial institutions.
Borrowing countries seeking funding for shrimp-related projects.
Congress, due to its role in receiving waiver notifications.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

The bill creates a time-limited policy (seven years) that balances congressional direction with executive flexibility through the waiver process. It operates within existing frameworks for U.S. participation in international financial institutions without raising new constitutional questions in the text itself.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

Cosponsors (3)

Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA], Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]