Commercial Seafood Consumer Protection Act

Bill: 110-s-2688
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2008-03-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Aquaculture
Commerce
Department of Commerce
Food safety
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Import restrictions
Imports
International Affairs
Labeling
Laboratories
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Science, Technology, Communications
Seafood
Standards
Technical assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-04
text: 
Commercial Seafood Consumer Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to establish a program to strengthen federal activities for ensuring that commercially distributed seafood meets federal food quality and safety requirements.
 
Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement to strengthen cooperation on seafood safety, including regarding examining and testing seafood imports, inspections of foreign facilities, technical assistance and training of foreign facilities for marine aquaculture, establishing a distribution chain tracking system, and labeling.
 
Directs the Secretary to increase the number of laboratories certified to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to increase the number and capacity of laboratories operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) involved in testing and other activities under this Act.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to refuse admission of all imports of seafood or seafood products originating from a country or exporter if the shipments are not likely to meet federal requirements. Allows admittance of individual shipments from that country or exporter on evidence from an inspection or a certified laboratory.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to send inspectors to an originating country or exporter.

action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Commercial Seafood Consumer Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to establish a program, consistent with U.S. international obligations, to strengthen federal activities for ensuring that commercially distributed seafood meets federal food quality and safety requirements.
 
Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement to strengthen cooperation on seafood safety, including regarding examining and testing seafood imports, inspections of foreign facilities, technical assistance and training of foreign facilities for marine aquaculture, establishing a distribution chain tracking system, and labeling.
 
Directs the Secretary to increase the number of laboratories certified to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to increase the number and capacity of laboratories operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) involved in testing and other activities under this Act.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) refuse admission of all imports of seafood or seafood products originating from a country or exporter if the shipments do not meet Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) requirements; and (2) order an increase in the percentage of seafood shipments tested that originate from a country that may not meet the federal requirements. Allows admittance of individual shipments from that country or exporter on evidence from an inspection or a certified laboratory.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to send inspectors to an originating country or exporter to assess seafood practices and processes and to provide technical assistance related to FDCA requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 880.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-420.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-420.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2008-03-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1523-1524)
action_date: 2008-03-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1523)
action_date: 2008-03-04
text: Introduced in Senate