Bill Summary
This legislation, titled the "United States-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023," aims to prohibit the importation of seafood and seafood products from the Russian Federation into the United States. This is in response to the Russian Federation's invasion and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, which led to sanctions being imposed by the US and its allies. In retaliation, the Russian government implemented an embargo on agricultural products, including seafood, from the US, EU, Australia, Canada, and Norway. The bill also acknowledges that before the embargo, the Russian Federation was an important market for US seafood products, with imports increasing significantly in value between 2013 and 2020. In 2022, the US President issued an executive order prohibiting the importation of Russian seafood, but allowed imports to continue until June 2022 for products that had pre-existing contracts or agreements. This legislation also states that the prohibition does not apply to seafood products that are substantially transformed in another country. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that this aggression by the Russian Federation warrants a reevaluation of trade policies and that a strong domestic seafood industry is important for national security and job growth. The bill then outlines the specific products that are prohibited from importation and includes a provision for ending the prohibition once the Russian government lifts their embargo on US seafood. This legislation will go into effect 90 days after its enactment.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could affect seafood consumers in the United States by limiting their access to Russian seafood products, potentially leading to higher prices or decreased availability of certain types of seafood.
2. The prohibition on imports could also impact businesses in the seafood industry that rely on Russian seafood products, potentially causing financial losses or disruptions in their supply chain.
3. The legislation could also have diplomatic implications, as it is a form of economic retaliation against the Russian Federation for their actions in Ukraine, potentially affecting relations between the two countries.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2011 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2011
To prohibit the importation of seafood and seafood products from the
Russian Federation, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 15, 2023
Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit the importation of seafood and seafood products from the
Russian Federation, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Russian Federation
Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In 2014, the Russian Federation invaded and annexed the
Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.
(2) The United States and its allies imposed sanctions with
respect to the Russian Federation as a result of that hostile
and illegal action.
(3) In retaliation, the Government of the Russian
Federation imposed an embargo on agricultural products,
including seafood, imported from the United States, the
European Union, Australia, Canada, and Norway.
(4) Before imposing the embargo, the Russian Federation was
an important export market for United States seafood products.
(5) Imports into the United States of seafood products of
Russian Federation origin increased roughly 173 percent in
value between 2013, the year before the imposition of the
embargo, and 2020.
(6) On March 11, 2022, the President issued Executive Order
14068 (87 Fed. Reg. 14381; relating to prohibiting certain
imports, exports, and new investment with respect to continued
Russian Federation aggression), which prohibited the
importation of seafood of Russian Federation origin. The Office
of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury
allowed imports of banned seafood that had pre-existing written
contracts or written agreements until June 23, 2022.
(7) Executive Order 14068 does not prohibit the importation
of seafood products of Russian Federation origin that are
substantially transformed in another country.
(8) Despite the brutal, illegal invasion of Ukraine by the
Russian Federation, seafood products of Russian Federation
origin continue to enter United States commerce.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) aggression against Ukraine by the Government of the
Russian Federation must prompt a reevaluation of United States-
Russian Federation trade policies, particularly with respect to
categories of goods for which the Government of the Russian
Federation has already taken retaliatory action against the
United States; and
(2) a robust United States seafood industry in which
domestic consumers and businesses have access to and can
purchase domestically and sustainably harvested seafood and
seafood products supports national security and United States
jobs.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON ENTRY OF SEAFOOD AND SEAFOOD PRODUCTS FROM THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
(a) In General.--The importation into the United States of any
product described in subsection (b) is prohibited.
(b) Products Described.--A product described in this subsection is
a product--
(1) classifiable under chapter 3 or heading 1604 of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States; and
(2) of Russian Federation origin, including any such
product incorporated into another product or substantially
transformed in a country other than the Russian Federation.
SEC. 5. TERMINATION.
(a) In General.--The prohibition under section 4 shall terminate on
the date that is 90 days after the date on which the President
determines and certifies to Congress that the Government of the Russian
Federation has terminated its prohibition on the importation of seafood
products from the United States.
(b) Notification to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.--Upon
making the certification described in subsection (a), the President
shall notify the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
with respect to the date on which the prohibition under section 4
terminates.
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
Section 4 applies with respect to articles imported on or after the
date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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