Didn't they start the Clone Wars?
Posted on 02/10/2022 3:42:12 PM PST by nickcarraway
Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., speaks in favor of seafood provisions in the COMPETES Act in the House of Representatives. Office of Rep.Jared Huffman image.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American COMPETES Act on Friday, Feb. 4 on a near party-line vote.
The $350 billion spending bill tackles supply chain and trade issues included several fishing provisions from other bills – including the expansion of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to cover all species that enter American ports.
H.R. 4521 passed by a 222-210 vote. One Republican member joined Democrats in support, and one Democratic member joined Republicans in opposition. Two GOP members did not vote, including Rep. Garret Graves , R-La. Graves was a key supporter of SIMP expansion. That and other aspects of the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act, a bipartisan bill he co-sponsored with Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., were included in the bill that passed Feb. 4. A message left by SeafoodSource with his office was not immediately returned on Friday afternoon.
SIMP currently only pertains to 13 species. The bill coauthored by Huffman and Graves comes as part of a larger-scale effort to eliminate the importation of seafood caught or processed using illegal means, including the use of forced labor, as well as the deliberate mislabeling of products.
In a House floor speech, Huffman said a healthy ecosystem is a vital part of American competitiveness in the global economy.
“We know foreign fisheries do not have the same environmental and labor standards we have here in the U.S.,” Huffman said. “Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing … is a scourge, and in the United States, we intend to do something about it.”
While some domestic seafood trade groups have called for an expansion of SIMP to protect their members against cheaper foreign products, earlier this week, 55 industry representatives sent Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a letter asking that the SIMP expansion be removed from the bill.
The Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act “has not been considered by the numerous committees of jurisdiction in the House… and is not ready for inclusion in a legislative package being prepared for a vote on the House floor,” the letter stated.
Other fishing-related items included in the bill include a phase-out of large-scale driftnet fishing in American waters over the next five years, a ban on the sales of shark fins, and a requirement for federal agencies to make purchasing domestic seafood products a priority. The latter provision would be accomplished through grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
After its passage in the House, Beth Lowell, the acting U.S. vice president for the environmental group Oceana, praised the bill.
“Ending our role in these destructive practices is a necessary step to show the world that we’re serious when it comes to protecting ocean wildlife, supporting responsibly managed fisheries, and leveling the playing field for U.S. fishers and seafood businesses,” Lowell said.
Whether or not the fishing provisions inserted by the House in the bill stay in the final legislation remains to be seen. In June 2021, the Senate approved a $250 billion spending package that must be reconciled with the newly passed bill in the House. It will be up to leaders in both chambers to determine what remains in the final draft of the text, which will then be sent to President Joe Biden for his approval or veto.
Another fork of the agenda to slowly starve us to death.
Sea food prices to rise 50%.
Marco Rubio’s bill to amend the Lacey act was added to COMPETES in the House as one of 600+ amendments. It establishes a limited WHITE LIST of approved animals. This includes all animals in the pet trade, approximately 20K including fish, reptiles, birds, small mammals, and inverts.
Estimates are the WHITE will include about 1500 species of all types of animals. The rest will be summarily banned.
One day, in the near future, maybe by 2050, the Untied States will regulate and spend itself out of existence.
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And people wonder why inflation is so high.
Bush League Republican Senators will assist the Democrats once again, it’s what they do.
This is going to help my Soylent Green startup . . .
But meanwhile, the FDA is a trade association for the pharmaceutical industry.
Or more. To the point no one can afford it. It is already out of sight.
Trade association? Hell, I thought they were the marketing agency!
You can bet that this bill hurts the American people, and helps the Communist Chinese. Bet on it.
Have you always been such an optimist?
think about that when you are vacationing on the coast and stop at a restaurant that claims to have "fresh" seafood. I have in laws in the Outer Banks who say the gov. has been trying to do this for years. The gov. wants to ban all commercial fishing. Only boats will be charter boats for licensed sport fishing and all restaurants will have imported fish.
Didn't they start the Clone Wars?
“requirement for federal agencies to make the purchase of seafood” from foreigners.
Yes, buy seafood from China Joe biden’s chinese butt buddies who ARE FISHING IN AMERICAN territories already!
8^)
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