# Understanding the Save Our Shrimpers Act

This bill prevents the U.S. government from using taxpayer money to help finance shrimp farming operations in other countries. Specifically, it stops American funding from flowing through international financial institutions—organizations like the World Bank that provide loans and development assistance to countries around the world—for anything related to shrimp farming, shrimp processing, or shrimp exports abroad.

The bill is designed to protect American shrimp fishermen and the domestic shrimp industry from foreign competition. When international financial institutions fund shrimp farms in other countries, it can increase the supply of cheap imported shrimp on the global market, which drives down prices and makes it harder for American shrimpers to compete. By cutting off this funding source, the bill aims to level the playing field for U.S. shrimpers, particularly those in coastal states like Louisiana and Texas where shrimping is economically important.

The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office—a watchdog agency that oversees how the government spends money—to produce an annual report checking whether U.S. representatives at these international financial institutions are actually following instructions to oppose funding for products that are already in surplus on world markets. This is meant to ensure the Treasury Department and other agencies are actively working to protect American industries rather than passively allowing international institutions to fund foreign competitors.

In practical terms, this means less U.S. taxpayer money will indirectly support the growth of shrimp farming industries in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Ecuador, which are major shrimp producers competing with American fishermen.

Save Our Shrimpers Act

Nehls, Troy E.

Save Our Shrimpers ActThis bill prohibits federal funds from being made available to international financial institutions (e.g., the International Monetary Fund) for financing activities related to foreign shrimp farms. The bill also requires an annual report on compliance by U.S. leadership of international financial institutions with policies to oppose financing for certain commodities or minerals.Specifically, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury to condition any provision of federal funds to an international financial institution on the requirement that the funds not be used to finance any activity related to shrimp farming, shrimp processing, or the export of shrimp in any foreign country.Under current law, Treasury must instruct U.S. leadership of international financial institutions to oppose providing financial assistance for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export if (1) the commodity or mineral is in surplus on world markets, and (2) the export of such commodity or mineral will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of&nbsp;a&nbsp;competing commodity or mineral (or of the same or a similar commodity or mineral). This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to investigate and annually report to Congress on the extent to which U.S. leadership at these institutions have carried out Treasury's instructions.