Rep. Nancy Mace pushes amendment to ensure military buys only American-caught seafood
Rep. Nancy Mace considers gubernatorial run during Myrtle Beach visit in Grande Dunes (Andrew James/WPDE)
(WCIV) — Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace is wading into “Shrimpgate” waters.
On Tuesday, the three-term member of Congress introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would require the Department of Defense to purchase only American-caught seafood.
“For too long, foreign competitors have undercut American workers, threatened our economy, and exploited loopholes in federal law,” Mace said. “If the Pentagon is buying seafood, it will come from American waters, caught by American hands, not from our adversaries.”
Mace’s amendment comes months after South Carolina shrimpers found that at least 25 restaurants in the Charleston County area were defrauding consumers by allegedly misrepresenting the shrimp they serve as South Carolina-caught product.
According to lawyers representing the shrimpers, several restaurants were serving imported shrimp under the guise of local South Carolina-caught shrimp.
The ultimate results of “Shrimpgate” remain tied up in litigation, with several restaurants opting to broker an agreement with the South Carolina Shrimpers Association.
As for Mace, this isn’t her first foray into attempting to protect the Lowcountry shrimping industry.
In 2024, Mace introduced the Protect American Fisheries Act, which sought to add economic causes as allowable grounds for declaring a fishery resource disaster.
At the time, the legislation was supported by over 20 fishery organizations and possessed bipartisan support in Congress. It was referred to the committee but never moved forward, according to Congress.gov.
With the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, Mace’s office believes South Carolina shrimpers will benefit from “fair rules” moving forward.
Bryan Jones, the vice president of the South Carolina Shrimpers Association, agreed.
“This amendment is a matter of fairness,” he said. “By closing this loophole, the Congresswoman is ensuring that our military’s food supply is not only secure but also supports the very American workers who are the backbone of our coastal communities.”
This amendment is one of five proposals made for consideration during floor debate. The amendment is expected to be debated Wednesday morning.
“South Carolina’s shrimpers and fishermen are the backbone of our coastal economy and they feed American families,” Mace said. “They work from sunup to sundown, carrying on generations of tradition and keeping our Lowcountry alive. We will not allow foreign interests to game the system at their expense. Our people deserve a level playing field, and we will always stand up to make sure they get it.”
