Hyde-smith Introduces ‘SAVE OUR Shrimpers ACT’ in the Senate

Wednesday, June 17, 2026 HYDE-SMITH INTRODUCES ‘SAVE OUR SHRIMPERS ACT’ IN THE SENATE Bill to Bar U.S. Taxpayer Dollars from Supporting Foreign Shrimp Farms Introduced Following House Passage WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today introduced legislation to begin signaling Senate support for an effort to protect U.S. shrimpers and processors by barring the use of taxpayer funding to support foreign shrimp farms. The Save Our Shrimpers Act would prohibit federal funds from being made available to international financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund, for financing activities related to foreign shrimp farming, processing, or exporting.  U.S. Representative Troy E. Nehls (R-Texas) authored this bill ( HR.2071 ), which the House passed overwhelmingly last month. “America’s shrimpers are tough and don’t mind fair competition, but for too long they’ve had to battle heavily subsidized foreign producers operating on an unfair playing field.  The fact that U.S. dollars are aiding and abetting that unfair competition is appalling and must come to an end,” Hyde-Smith said. “I commend Congressman Nehls for advancing the Save Our Shrimpers Act through the House, and I’m proud to introduce a companion bill in the Senate that sends a clear message that we’re committed to fighting for America’s shrimping industry.” The Save Our Shrimpers Act would require the U.S. Department of the Treasury to condition the delivery of any federal funds to an international financial institution on the requirement that the funds not be used to finance any activity related to foreign shrimp operations. While current federal law stipulates that the Treasury Department instruct U.S. executive directors at international monetary institutions to vote against any assistance that facilitates an export commodity surplus that causes injury or harm to United States producers—such as foreign shrimp.  Compliance with the law has been lax, with the U.S. only voting for the first time in history against a foreign shrimp aquaculture project in April 2025. Hyde-Smith’s introduction of the Save Our Shrimpers Act aligns with her earlier introduction of the Safer Shrimp Imports Act (S.667), which would require overseas shrimp facility inspections and require foreign countries wishing to export shrimp to the United States to meet food safety inspection standards equivalent to those of U.S. shrimp producers. The Save Our Shrimpers Act is supported by the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) and other stakeholder organizations in shrimp-producing states, including the Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, Inc. “International financial institutions have flooded the global shrimp market through misguided, non-market support for foreign shrimp aquaculture, which has severely undercut U.S. commercial shrimpers,” said Blake Price, director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance.  “The Save Our Shrimpers Act will ensure development funding is better directed and that American fishermen are not forced to compete with unfairly subsidized farmed shrimp.  The Southern Shrimp Alliance is incredibly grateful to Senator Hyde-Smith for making this legislation a priority.” “The Save Our Shrimpers Act represents a meaningful effort to level the playing field and safeguard the shrimping grounds, ensuring a fair, transparent, and sustainable framework for domestic shrimpers and related industries,” said Ryan Bradley, director of the Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, Inc. ### Issues Agriculture Foreign Affairs Jobs and Economy Rural Communities Region Coast