Congressman Clay Higgins | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Clay Higgins | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressmen Clay Higgins, James Comer, and Troy Nehls are urging the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate if the U.S. Treasury Department is following legal mandates that require opposition to international economic assistance projects which could harm American industries, including the shrimp sector.
This request aligns with legislation introduced by Congressmen Higgins and Nehls, known as the Save Our Shrimpers Act of 2024. The proposed law aims to block federal funding from supporting International Financial Institutions that finance foreign shrimp farming, processing, or export activities to the United States.
The lawmakers expressed concerns in their letter: “It has come to our attention that the U.S. Treasury Department may not be in compliance with statutory requirements to oppose projects seeking economic assistance before international monetary institutions that pose direct competition to American industries.”
They further highlighted issues dating back to 2006: “Notably, since 2006, U.S. directors have either supported or abstained from voting at least 17 times on projects involving industries that directly compete with the U.S. shrimp industry—an industry facing severe challenges due to foreign shrimp dumping."
To address these concerns, they have requested a review by the GAO regarding whether the Treasury Department is fulfilling its obligations under this statute.
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