The House Committee on Rules is currently considering over 1,000 amendments submitted to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (“NDAA”), H.R. 8800.
In addition to already including a provision important to American shrimpers, several amendments were submitted to the NDAA that are strongly supported by the U.S. shrimp industry.
Where Things Stand
H.R. 8800 was reported favorably out of the House Committee on Armed Services earlier this year. On June 11th, the Rules Committee announced that it may meet the week of June 29th to provide for floor consideration of the NDAA and established a deadline of June 18th for the submission of amendments. A total of 1,120 amendments were submitted, including legislation originally introduced with the support of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. A vote by the House Rules Committee to establish the terms for full floor consideration is expected this week.
What Is Already in the NDAA
Section 1893 of the NDAA eliminates existing exceptions to the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. § 4862) for seafood purchases within the Department of Defense. The Berry Amendment prohibits federal funds from being used to procure items, including seafood, that are “not grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States.” Nevertheless, despite this requirement, exceptions to the application of the Berry Amendment are routinely used to allow the purchase of foreign seafood. Section 1893 of the NDAA clarifies that most of the exceptions to the Berry Amendment “shall not apply to procurement of any fish, shellfish, or seafood product.”
This provision was added to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 through an amendment submitted by Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC). As Congresswoman Mace explained in September, the Berry Amendment was enacted in 1941 to ensure that the Department of Defense procure American-made products critical to national security but loopholes in the law have resulted in the military purchasing foreign seafood. Congresswoman Mace explained: “If the Pentagon is buying seafood, it will come from American waters, caught by American hands, not from out adversaries.”
Shrimp Industry Amendment to the NDAA
Consistent with the important goal of ensuring that the military is purchasing U.S. seafood rather than seafood from our country’s adversaries, Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA) and Congressman Mike Ezell (R-MS) jointly submitted Amendment 580 to this year’s NDAA that would prohibit the Department of Defense from procuring seafood originating from or processed in the People’s Republic of China for use in military dining facilities or sold at military commissary stores.
The same language prohibiting the purchase of Chinese seafood was included as Section 628 of the Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (S.2296) but has not been a part of the House versions of the NDAA.
“American seafood producers desperately need support,” said Blake Price, Executive Director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “Serving our troops Chinese seafood rather than domestically harvested and processed seafood is an insult to the men and women serving our country and to U.S. commercial fishermen across the nation. The Southern Shrimp Alliance is grateful for the leadership of Congressmen Troy Carter and Mike Ezell in eliminating Chinese seafood from our military supply chains and we look forward to Amendment 580 being considered on the House floor with the NDAA.”
SSA Supported Amendments
Beyond Representative Carter’s and Ezell’s Amendment 580, a number of other amendments were submitted to the NDAA that are also important to the U.S. shrimp industry.
Because of the sheer number of amendments submitted, only a relatively small number are likely to be allowed further consideration by the House Rules Committee. Nevertheless, the Southern Shrimp Alliance supports the amendments summarized below and hopes that they will be found to have been “made in order.”
Amendment 940 – Prohibition on Procurement of Seafood Originating or Processed in China for House Dining Facilities and Senate Restaurants
Introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Similar to Amendment 580, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), the co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, submitted an amendment that would bar federal funds from being used to procure seafood that originates or is processed in China for use in House dining facilities and Senate restaurants.
Amendment 33 – Quarterly Audit of Berry Amendment Requirements for Military Procurement of Food
Introduced by Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA)
Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-CA) submitted an amendment that would require the Inspector General of the Department of Defense to conduct quarterly audits with respect to the Defense Department’s compliance with the Berry Amendment in the procurement of food. The results of each audit are to be reported to the Armed Services Committees of the House and Senate.
Amendment 956 – The Manifest Modernization Act, H.R. 2653
Introduced by Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ)
Long supported by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, the Manifest Modernization Act closes a loophole in U.S. law that requires public disclosure only of ship manifests from ocean-going vessels while exempting manifests from air, rail, and truck. The lack of public disclosure of this shipping information prevents the public, including the U.S. shrimp industry, from monitoring and identifying fraudulent trading practices in supply chains.
Amendment 286 – Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act, H.R. 3756
Introduced by Reps. Nick Begich (R-AK) and Seth Magaziner (D-RI)
The FISH Act increases the federal government’s ability to penalize foreign vessels and individuals who participate in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Among other provisions, the law prohibits the importation of seafood that was caught, processed, or transported by foreign vessels listed on an IUU vessel list maintained by the federal government and instructs U.S. Customs and Border Protection to develop a strategy for identifying imports of seafood harvested on foreign vessels using forced labor in order to prevent such goods from entering the United States.
Amendment 133 – The Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2026 (“SHIPS for America Act of 2026”), H.R. 3151
Introduced by Reps. Trent Kelly (R-MS) and John Garamendi (D-CA)
The SHIPS for America Act of 2026 seeks to rebuild America’s shipbuilding capacity through direct financial support, investment tax credits, cargo preference, and workforce development. The legislation has drawn broad support in the House, with 137 co-sponsors, and aligns closely with President Trump’s “America’s Maritime Action Plan” issued in February.
What Comes Next
The House Rules Committee will determine which of the 1,120 filed amendments will receive a vote before the full House. Once the Rules Committee acts, floor debate on the NDAA can begin.
If the NDAA passes the House, the bill will move to the Senate. Provisions that are not adopted in the House bill may still be incorporated in the Senate bill or in conference between the two chambers.