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.
The Buy American Seafood Act would prohibit the federal government from purchasing foreign seafood for federal food programs, requiring instead that all seafood be harvested by U.S. flagged vessels or produced and processed domestically. The bill affects all federal agencies that buy seafood for covered food programs, which include Department of Defense meal services, emergency food assistance programs, disaster relief programs, and any other federal agency purchasing food with taxpayer dollars. The legislation includes a limited waiver provision allowing the Secretary of Agriculture to permit foreign seafood only if domestic supplies are insufficient or fail to meet food safety and quality standards, with all waivers required to be published in the Federal Register and reported to Congress within 30 days. The bill also amends child nutrition programs to prioritize domestic seafood in school lunch and breakfast programs under the same standards and waiver procedures. The Department of Agriculture must develop implementing regulations within 180 days, with no additional funding authorized for the bill's implementation.
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