Bill · S. 667· Senate(119-S-667)
Safer Shrimp Imports Act
- Introduced
- 2/20/2025
- Last activity
- 2/20/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Cindy Hyde-Smith
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Safer Shrimp Imports Act aims to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. It focuses on regulating foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold shrimp for consumption in the United States. The bill requires the Secretary to seek agreements with foreign governments that have such facilities. It establishes specific criteria for foreign food inspection systems to ensure they are equivalent to the FDA's system. If these requirements are not met, the shrimp will be refused admission into the United States. Finally, the Secretary must submit annual reports to Congress regarding the implementation of these changes.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+7
The bill enhances consumer protection by ensuring imported shrimp meets rigorous FDA-equivalent food safety and inspection standards.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
The bill requires the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress regarding the implementation of these new safety requirements.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+2
Increased food safety standards may protect low-income consumers from contaminated food products.
The opposite
Does this make trade with other countries easier?-4
The bill may disrupt existing trade patterns by creating new regulatory barriers and potential import refusals for foreign shrimp producers.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Safety Standards: By requiring foreign food inspection systems to be equivalent to the FDA's system, the bill aims to ensure that shrimp is raised and transported under strictly enforced laws and regulations (Section 2(a)(3)).
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Uniform Enforcement: The bill requires foreign systems to have staffing that ensures uniform enforcement of applicable laws and regulations, which could lead to more consistent oversight of food safety (Section 2(a)(3)(A)).
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Accountability through Reporting: The Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to submit annual reports to specific Congressional committees to describe how these amendments are being implemented (Section 2(c)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Refusal of Imports: Shrimp may be refused admission into the United States if the foreign country's government does not enter into an agreement with the Secretary or if their food inspection system does not meet specific criteria (Section 2(a)(2)).
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Trade Restrictions Based on Inspection Systems: Shrimp could be considered adulterated and refused entry if it was manufactured, processed, packed, or held in a country whose government or food inspection system does not comply with the new requirements (Section 2(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+7
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Middle Class Households+2Good For Urban Residents+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves International Trade-4
- 2/20/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.