Sens. Cruz, Warnock, Kennedy, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect American Shrimpers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the Save Our Shrimpers Act. This bipartisan legislation prevents funds distributed through international financial institutions from being used to support foreign shrimp farming, processing, or export projects.

Sen. Cruz said, "International financial institutions are financed by American taxpayer dollars and sustained through our diplomacy. They should not be boosting foreign shrimp operations that undercut Texan shrimpers. This bipartisan effort will protect the jobs, families, and coastal communities that depend on this Texas industry. I'm proud to lead it, and call on my colleagues to advance it expeditiously."

Sen. Warnock said, "The Georgia shrimp industry has been decimated by unfair foreign shrimp dumping that has squeezed Georgia shrimpers and processors and threatened the livelihoods of Georgia's coastal communities. Our bipartisan legislation will help level the playing field, support American producers and ensure Georgia's shrimping industry has a fair chance to compete and thrive."

Sen. Kennedy said, "Louisiana shrimpers work hard, follow the rules and feed America - we ought to have their backs. The Save Our Shrimpers Act would stop U.S. taxpayer dollars from bankrolling foreign shrimp operations that undercut our shrimpers and coastal communities."

Sen. Cassidy said, "An American business's tax dollars should not go to a foreign competitor that is trying to undercut the business paying the taxes. If we apply this principle, it will protect the Louisiana shrimping industry, the jobs, and their families."

U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas-22) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives, which passed the House in May.

Rep. Nehls said, "America's hardworking shrimpers, including those in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, are struggling to stay afloat due to an excess of foreign shrimp flooding our markets. Worse, American tax dollars are funding foreign shrimp operations, which are putting U.S. shrimpers out of business. My Save Our Shrimpers Act puts American shrimpers first by directing the U.S. to oppose projects that use American tax dollars to fund foreign shrimp farms and operations. I encourage the U.S. Senate to pass my legislation quickly and do some good for our nation's shrimpers."

This legislation is supported by the Texas Shrimp Association, Southern Shrimp Alliance, American Shrimp Processors Association, and Port Arthur Area Shrimper's Association.

Texas Shrimp Association President Chris Londrie said, "We fully support the Save Our Shrimpers Act which will go a long way to achieving a level playing field. For too long, our foreign competitors have been unfairly funded by International Financial Institutions (IFI's) and the millions of dollars that have been used to finance shrimp farms overseas have flooded our markets. This practice has drastically reduced the price of shrimp to a point where shrimpers can no longer make a profit. This practice must change! Thank you to all who stand with U.S. shrimpers to support our industry."

Southern Shrimp Alliance Director Blake Price said, "Ecuador's shrimp industry was built on funding from U.S. taxpayers through international financial institutions. Now, Ecuadorian shrimp is aggressively taking sales in the U.S. market from American shrimpers and other foreign suppliers. The Save Our Shrimpers Act will help end non-market-based support for shrimp aquaculture and give domestic commercial fishermen a fighting chance. The Southern Shrimp Alliance is thankful to Senator Cruz for moving this important legislation forward."

American Shrimp Processors Association President Trey Pearson said, "America's shrimp processors strongly support the Save Our Shrimpers Act," said Trey Pearson, President of the American Shrimp Processors Association. "For far too long, international institutions have poured public dollars into overseas shrimp farming and processing, fueling massive overcapacity and waves of unfair imports that have repeatedly harmed our domestic shrimp industry. This bill will put an end to this practice and ensure that international institutions which are financed with U.S. taxpayer dollars do not use those funds to prop up our competitors overseas."

Port Arthur Area Shrimper's Association President Kyle Kimball and Vice President Tricia Kimball said, "Currently US tax dollars are being used by the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank to provide loans to shrimp farms in foreign countries. These countries will then dump the shrimp produced at the farms being funded onto our US market, further driving down the US domestic price at the docks and causing unfair competition for our American shrimp. It is a slap in the face to American shrimpers that our hard-earned tax money is helping our competition drown us with their contaminated shrimp, taking away even more American jobs and livelihoods."

Read the bill text here.

BACKGROUND

Specifically, the Save Our Shrimpers Act requires the Treasury Department to ensure that U.S. funds provided to international financial institutions are not used for activities related to foreign shrimp farming, processing, or exports.