Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 283) to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 283, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 283, the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz from Texas.

This legislation would direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the NOAA Administrator to jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood products to support enforcement against illegal, unregulated, or unreported fishing, otherwise known as IUU fishing.

IUU fishing undermines the sustainability of the seafood supply chain and the United States' leadership as a gold standard for fisheries management. This bill will promote innovation to help keep IUU products out of American markets.

I thank Representative Brian Babin from Texas, a sponsor of companion legislation, for his leadership on this issue in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 283, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), the lead sponsor of the House companion to this bill and chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mr. Speaker, again, S. 283 supports the development of new technology that can help identify and cut off IUU fish products entering our markets.

I greatly appreciate Senator Cruz and Representative Babin for their leadership on this legislation. I urge the passage of S. 283 and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 283, the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, as amended.

This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology using chemical analysis to identify the country of origin of seafood.

Both commercial and recreational fishing contribute significantly to the Texas economy. Red snapper, in particular, is highly sought after by the recreational fishing sector. This effort is especially important in the Gulf of America, where red snapper is a valuable resource for American fishermen and coastal communities.

Illegally harvested seafood can make its way into U.S. markets, undercutting the fishermen and seafood producers who play by the rules.

NIST scientists have developed chemical methods to identify the geographic origin of foods like beef, honey, fruits, and rice. This bill would build on that expertise to give law enforcement another tool to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and seafood fraud.

Today's bill also incorporates edits made by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee during our bipartisan markup earlier this year as part of H.R. 3706, the Standards for Understanding Source and Habitat Identification Act, also known as the SUSHI Act, which I sponsored.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, or IUU fishing, threatens domestic fisheries and ecosystems around the world.

In the United States, up to 32 percent of seafood imports are derived from IUU fishing. These illegal practices harm our economy, disadvantage fishermen, and threaten the long-term health of our oceans and fish stocks.

Mr. Speaker, S. 283 would address one part of that challenge by investing in science to improve the detection of illegally sourced seafood. This bill would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology and NOAA to develop a chemical analysis to identify the origin of seafood. If successful, this could assist law enforcement in identifying products from illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

This legislation specifically focuses on red snapper and several species of tuna, offering an opportunity to determine whether the chemical analysis research would apply to reef fish and migratory species. This is a practical, bipartisan piece of legislation that would strengthen our ability to identify seafood linked to IUU fishing and improve enforcement efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 283, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 86, S. 283.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.