The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2071, the Save Our Shrimpers Act, by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 391-18-1, delivering a major legislative victory for domestic shrimping communities from Texas to the Carolinas.
Introduced by Congressman Troy Nehls, R-Texas, the bill would require U.S. representatives at international financial institutions (IFIs) to vote against any financial assistance used to support foreign shrimp farming, processing, or export and ending a long-standing practice that industry leaders say has undermined American shrimpers for years.
"For far too long, foreign shrimp has flooded our markets while U.S. tax dollars have been used to subsidize overseas shrimp operations," said Nehls following the vote.
The legislation has drawn broad support from nearly every major domestic shrimp organization, including the Southern Shrimp Alliance, Texas Shrimp Association, Louisiana Shrimp Association (LSA), American Shrimp Processors Association, and others. Blake Price of the Southern Shrimp Alliance noted that until Nehls reintroduced the bill last year, the U.S. had never once voted against funding a foreign shrimp aquaculture project at an IFI and a record that changed in April 2025 when the U.S. cast its first-ever "no" vote on such a project.
The bill now heads to the Senate. The LSA is urging the upper chamber to act quickly.
"America's shrimpers are fighting to survive, and this bill will provide much-needed relief to hardworking fishing families and coastal communities," said LSA President Acy Cooper.
