Ron Paul Urges Commerce Department to Investigate Foreign Shrimp Subsidies

House Web Site ^ | 1-14-2003 | Rep Ron Paul (R-TX)

[jmc813]

Washington, DC: Congressman Ron Paul recently joined several of his House colleagues urging action by the Commerce Department to protect the troubled domestic shrimp industry. Paul and other members of Congress, who represent thousands of shrimpers in Texas and Louisiana, sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Donald Evans and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick demanding an investigation into taxpayer subsidies that benefit foreign shrimpers at the expense of our domestic industry.

The 14th congressional district is home to many shrimpers, from Galveston to Aransas counties. Since 2000, shrimp imports from targeted countries have increased a whopping 72%, while prices have fallen 35% in the same period. This flood of subsidized imported shrimp has drastically reduced revenues for the vital Gulf coast shrimp industry.

“Domestic shrimpers up and down the Texas Gulf coast have been devastated by cheap imported shrimp,” Paul stated. “Congress needs to remove the burdensome regulations that make it so difficult for our shrimpers to make a profit, but we also need to eliminate foreign aid subsidies to the nations that compete directly with our shrimp industry. It’s unconscionable that a struggling shrimper in south Texas has to pay taxes that subsidize his foreign competitors.”

Paul introduced the “Shrimp Importation Fairness Act” in January 2003 to help level the playing field between the foreign and domestic shrimp industries. The bill places a moratorium on costly federal regulations that hamper the domestic industry, while ending taxpayer subsidies to seven countries responsible for nearly 70% of the imported shrimp consumed in the U.S.

[henderson field]

Let's forget about the failed global economy and hit the subsidized shrimpers with a 99% duty. Let's protect American jobs. America first. All others come after that.

[1rudeboy]

I wonder if Rep. Paul thinks the Commerce Dept. is constitutional. Maybe he should call for a marque of reprisal?

[inkling]

You can talk about Osama, Saddam and Kim Jong Il all you want. What keeps me up at night is Foreign Shrimp Subsidies! Finally, someone is taking on Big Shrimp!!!

[jmc813]

What keeps me up at night is Foreign Shrimp Subsidies!

I'm sure that for thousands who make a living in the shrimp industry they are kept up at night over this issue.

[BCrago66]

Finally someone has brought to the attention of the American people the crucial issue of shrimp subsidies. Everyone else seems to be diverted by terrorism and stuff.

[Bogey78O]

Yea seriously. A shrimper in rural Texas or Louisiana is more concerned about being able to feed his family than foreign policy.

[Chunga]

"Yea seriously. A shrimper in rural Texas or Louisiana is more concerned about being able to feed his family than foreign policy."

In America it isn't necessary that the shrimper remain a shrimper in order to feed his family. Thanks in great measure to our (Bush's) foreign policy (the War On Terror), people with initiative continue to have a wide range of economic options.

[aodell]

This shrimp thing might seem trivial to us, but if Ron Paul is concerned about it, that's good enough for me.

[Bogey78O]

And that's why Ron Paul is looking into the subsidies.

If the shrimpers are losing their business because foreign gov'ts are using their capital to collapse an American industry then the shrimpers have a fairly legitimate argument. The foreign businesses are using unfair leverage that the American shrimpers can not resort to in order to stay productive.

I generally frown on analogies for large complex situations but if they're two stores and one uses gov't money to keep their prices cheaper than the otherthan there's no way the other store can compete. Once the other store is closed then the subsidized store has free reign to control the entire market and vis a vis the foreign gov't has greater influence.

[The_Eaglet]

I'm glad to see Paul stop some more unconstitutional spending that actually hurts American jobs, too.

[The_Eaglet]

Campaign Finance Regulation-Campaign Finance Reform thread-day 40

[america-rules]

Ron Paul was against the steel tariffs !

[anymouse]

Gulf Coast shrimp ping.