Bills · HR 8337
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 8337Agriculture and Food
Buy American Seafood Act
This bill requires the federal government to prioritize American fish and shellfish over imports for programs like school lunches and military food services.AI-written
INTRO APR 16· LAST ACTION APR 16
READING
6MIN
COSPONSORS
1
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
tl;dr
AI-writtenMandates that federal agencies buy only American-caught or American-farmed seafood for military meals, school lunches, and disaster relief — cutting out foreign competitors to support U.S. fishing jobs.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenCurrently, a significant portion of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. By mandating federal purchases of domestic seafood, this bill seeks to keep taxpayer dollars within the U.S. economy and support the domestic maritime industry. Voters might care because this could lead to more stable jobs in coastal areas and ensures that students and soldiers are eating food that meets U.S. safety and quality standards.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Restricts federal seafood procurement to items harvested by U.S.-flagged vessels or processed in the United States.
This ensures that government spending directly supports the American fishing industry rather than foreign competitors.
PROVISION 02
Provides a waiver process if domestic seafood is unavailable in the needed quantity or fails to meet safety standards.
This prevents food shortages in schools or the military if the U.S. supply chain cannot meet immediate needs.
PROVISION 03
Updates the National School Lunch Act to specifically include these domestic seafood requirements.
This makes 'Buy American' rules for seafood a permanent part of the country's largest institutional food program.
PROVISION 04
Requires all waivers to be published in the Federal Register and reported to Congress within 30 days.
This creates transparency and prevents agencies from bypassing the law without public oversight.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 1
R· Louisiana
YRS IN OFFICE
5
BILLS LED
20
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSAPR 16
Introduced in House
APR 16
Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 8337
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedApr 16, 2026
Last actionApr 16, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 16, 2026
House BillHR 8337Agriculture and Food
Buy American Seafood Act
This bill requires the federal government to prioritize American fish and shellfish over imports for programs like school lunches and military food services.AI-written
INTRODUCED APR 16, 2026· LAST ACTION APR 16, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
6 min
COSPONSORS
1
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
