S. 5479: No Chinese Seafood in Congress Act

This bill would ban certain seafood products from being bought, served, or sold in dining facilities connected to Congress, such as cafeterias, restaurants, and food service locations in the Capitol buildings and on Capitol grounds.

What counts as prohibited seafood

The bill defines covered Chinese seafood products broadly. A seafood product would be covered if it is:

• fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed in whole or in part in the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong and Macau; or
• harvested or processed by a vessel owned or operated by a Chinese national or Chinese company, or by a vessel registered or flagged under Chinese law.

The bill says seafood product includes fish, shellfish, processed fish and shellfish products, and other marine or aquatic animal life. It also includes foods where seafood is a main ingredient.

Where the ban would apply

The restriction would apply to any congressional dining facility, which the bill defines to include cafeterias, restaurants, eateries, and other food service facilities located in:

• the Capitol buildings, and
• the United States Capitol Grounds.

Who would have to carry it out

The bill assigns responsibility to several congressional and related entities, including:

• the House Committee on House Administration,
• the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration,
• the Office of the Architect of the Capitol,
• the Library of Congress, and
• any other entity that oversees a congressional dining facility.

Implementation

Within 180 days after the bill becomes law, each responsible entity would have to write regulations to implement the ban for the facilities under its control.

Relevant Companies

None found