WASHINGTON - Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) co-sponsored bipartisan legislation offered by Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) to demand that American taxpayer dollars are not used to sabotage Southwest Florida's seafood industry.

The bipartisan "Save Our Shrimpers Act" is the 485th piece of legislation co- sponsored by Congressman Donalds during the 118th Congress and also received support from Representatives Barry Moore (AL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Garret Graves (R-LA), Julia Letlow (R-LA), Mike Ezell (R-MS), Russell Fry (R-SC), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Brian Babin (R-TX), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), and Randy Weber (R-TX). Congressman Donalds released the following statement:

"The impact of Hurricane Ian on our local seafood industry was devastating. As our community rebuilds, shrimpers must also deal with a market that is oversaturated with U.S. taxpayer financed foreign product. I am proud to stand with Rep. Troy Nehls in demanding that American taxpayer dollars are not used to sabotage Southwest Florida's seafood industry. Government must always put the American people first."

BACKGROUND:

Domestic shrimpers are struggling to stay in business as foreign imported shrimp is continuing to saturate the market and is extremely difficult for them to stay in business.
International Monetary Institutions––which receive U.S. taxpayer dollars–– have been financing foreign shrimp farm operations.
As a result, the bill would place a condition on any contribution from Treasury, or any other U.S. federal agency, to the budget of any international financial institution, that such contributions cannot be used to for the purposes of financing any shrimp farm capacity, operations, maintenance, or production in any foreign nation.

BILL ACTIONS:

The bill would provide a condition that federal funds being made available to international institutions cannot be used to finance any activity relating to shrimp farming, shrimp processing, or the export of shrimp in any foreign country.
Additionally, the bill would also trigger a GAO investigation and annual reports thereafter on the extent to which United States Executive Directors at International Monetary Institutions are complying with the USC 262(h) mandate.
USC 262(h) stipulates that the Treasury shall instruct United States Executive Directors at International Monetary Institutions to vote against and oppose any assistance by such institutions that facilitates an export commodity surplus that causes injury or harm to United States producers. We’ve found very limited circumstances where Treasury has been in compliance by this law on the book.

MORE:

See graphics rollout HERE.
Read the legislation in its entirety HERE.