August 27, 2026
Mr. Smith of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration
To prohibit Chinese seafood products in congressional dining facilities, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the No PRC Seafood in Congress Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings
The Congress finds the following:
(1)
Forced labor is pervasive in fishing, seafood harvesting, aquaculture, and seafood processing supply chains in the People’s Republic of China.
(2)
The lack of reliable supply-chain transparency and traceability makes it impracticable to verify that seafood products from the People’s Republic of China are free from forced labor.
Sec. 3. Prohibition of Chinese seafood products in congressional dining facilities
(a) In general
No Chinese seafood product may be procured, served, or sold in a congressional dining facility.
(b) Regulations
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each covered entity shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section with respect to a congressional dining facility under the jurisdiction, authority, supervision, or oversight of the covered entity.
(c) Country certifications
The regulations under subsection (b) shall require that any person who supplies a seafood product for a congressional dining facility to—
(1)
certify each and every country in which the seafood contained in such product was fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed; and
(2)
retain records sufficient to substantiate the certifications under paragraph (1).
(d) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Chinese seafood product
The term Chinese seafood product
means seafood product intended for human consumption that—
(A)
is fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed, in whole or in part, in the People’s Republic of China; or
(B)
is harvested or produced by a vessel—
(i)
owned or operated by a national of, or an entity organized under the laws of, the People’s Republic of China; or
(ii)
registered under the laws of the People’s Republic of China.
(2) Congressional dining facility
The term congressional dining facility
means any cafeteria, restaurant, eatery, other dining establishment, or food service facility located in any of the Capitol Buildings, as defined in section 5101 of title 40, United States Code, or on the United States Capitol Grounds, as described in section 5102 of such title.
(3) Covered entity
The term covered entity
means the following:
(A)
The Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives.
(B)
The Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
(C)
The Architect of the Capitol.
(D)
Any other entity with jurisdiction, authority, supervision, or oversight with respect to a congressional dining facility.
(4) People’s Republic of China
The term People’s Republic of China
includes the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macau Special Administrative Region and does not include Taiwan.
(5) Seafood product
The term seafood product
includes the following:
(A)
Fish, shellfish, processed fish, shellfish products, and all other forms of marine or aquatic animal life.
(B)
Any food for human consumption with respect to which a fish, shellfish, or other form of marine or aquatic animal life is a characterizing ingredient.