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HR8337119th CongressWALLET

Buy American Seafood Act

Sponsored By: Representative Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5]

Introduced

Summary

Would require U.S.-origin seafood in federal food purchases for programs like school meals, emergency food aid, and Defense subsistence. It ties procurement to seafood harvested by U.S.-flagged vessels or processed in the United States and sets definitions and waiver rules.

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  • Families and students: School lunch and breakfast seafood would need to be U.S.-harvested or domestically processed unless the Agriculture Secretary grants a waiver for insufficient supply or failing safety or quality. Waivers must be published and reported to Congress within 30 days.
  • Domestic fishers and aquaculture businesses: Creates a larger federal market by prioritizing U.S. harvest, aquaculture, and domestic processing across covered programs.
  • Federal agencies and food programs: Agencies would be barred from buying non-U.S. seafood for covered programs except under narrow waivers. The Agriculture Secretary would coordinate with the Secretaries of Commerce and Defense and would issue implementation regulations within 180 days.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Agriculture Secretary can grant waivers

If enacted, the head of an agency could be allowed to buy non-U.S. seafood when the Secretary of Agriculture finds U.S. seafood is insufficient or fails food safety or quality standards. Any waiver would be published in the Federal Register and reported to Congress within 30 days. Each waiver notice would identify the program, describe the seafood covered, state how long the waiver lasts, and explain the Secretary's determination.

Federal programs must buy U.S. seafood

If enacted, federal programs that provide or buy food would have to buy seafood caught or processed in the United States. Seafood would count as U.S. only if it is harvested by a U.S.-flagged fishing vessel or produced and processed in the United States through aquaculture or domestic seafood processing. Covered programs would include Emergency Food Assistance, Defense subsistence and food service, FEMA disaster feeding in declared disasters, and any other program that buys or distributes food with federal funds. This change would take effect when the bill is enacted.

Rulemaking timeline and funding limits

If enacted, the Agriculture Secretary would have to publish regulations to implement the bill within 180 days, after consulting with Commerce and Defense. The Secretary could also issue guidance to agencies that matches those rules. The bill would not authorize any new appropriations, so agencies must use existing funds or seek separate appropriations to carry out the law.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5]

LA • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 5/21/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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