Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “United States-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023”.
United States-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023
A BILL
To prohibit the importation of seafood and seafood products from the Russian Federation, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
In 2014, the Russian Federation invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.
The United States and its allies imposed sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation as a result of that hostile and illegal action.
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.
Before imposing the embargo, the Russian Federation was an important export market for United States seafood products.
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.
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.
Executive Order 14068 does not prohibit the importation of seafood products of Russian Federation origin that are substantially transformed in another country.
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—
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
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
In general— The importation into the United States of any product described in subsection (b) is prohibited.
Products described— A product described in this subsection is a product—
classifiable under chapter 3 or heading 1604 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States; and
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
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.
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.