[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3417 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3417

 To prohibit the importation of seafood and aquaculture products from 
                    the People's Republic of China.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 6, 2023

  Mr. Cotton (for himself, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, and Mr. Scott of Florida) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                          Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit the importation of seafood and aquaculture products from 
                    the People's Republic of China.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ban China's Forbidden Operations in 
the Oceanic Domain Act'' or the ``Ban C-FOOD Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF SEAFOOD AND AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS 
              FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

    (a) In General.--During the period described in subsection (b), the 
importation of seafood and aquaculture products that originate in the 
People's Republic of China is prohibited.
    (b) Period Described.--The period described in this subsection is 
the period--
            (1) beginning on the date that is one year after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act; and
            (2) ending on the date on which all of the certifications 
        described in subsection (c) have been submitted to Congress.
    (c) Certifications Described.--The certifications described in this 
subsection are the following:
            (1) A certification by the Secretary of State that neither 
        the fishing fleets nor the aquaculture industry of the People's 
        Republic of China are meaningfully using forced labor.
            (2) A certification by the Secretary of Commerce that the 
        Government of the People's Republic of China is not subsidizing 
        those fleets or that industry beyond international norms.
            (3) A certification by the Secretary of Defense that the 
        fishing fleets of the People's Republic of China will not be 
        used in an invasion of Taiwan.

SEC. 3. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO ENTITIES FACILITATING 
              TRANSSHIPMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall impose the 
sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to each person that 
the Secretary determines knowingly participates in the transshipment, 
during the period described in section 2(b), of seafood or aquaculture 
products that originate in the People's Republic of China into the 
United States in violation of section 2(a).
    (b) Sanctions Described.--The Secretary shall, pursuant to the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), 
block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in 
property of a foreign person described in subsection (a) if such 
property and interests in property are in the United States, come 
within the United States, or are or come within the possession or 
control of a United States person.
    (c) Implementation; Penalties.--
            (1) Implementation.--The Secretary may exercise the 
        authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 
        205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
        U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to the extent necessary to carry out this 
        section.
            (2) Penalties.--A person that violates, attempts to 
        violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of this 
        section or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry 
        out this section shall be subject to the penalties set forth in 
        subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International 
        Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same 
        extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in 
        subsection (a) of that section.
    (d) United States Person Defined.--In this section, the term 
``United States person'' means--
            (1) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted 
        for permanent residence to the United States;
            (2) an entity organized under the laws of the United States 
        or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a 
        foreign branch of such an entity; or
            (3) any person in the United States.

SEC. 4. IMPOSITION OF DUTIES TO PREVENT TRANSSHIPMENT.

    During the period described in section 2(b), the United States 
Trade Representative shall impose such duties with respect to seafood 
and aquaculture products as the Trade Representative determines 
necessary--
            (1) to prevent the transshipment into the United States of 
        such products that originate in the People's Republic of China 
        in violation of section 2(a); and
            (2) to penalize countries that facilitate such 
        transshipment.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON COMBATING ABUSES OF FISHING FLEETS AND AQUACULTURE 
              INDUSTRY OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the President shall submit to Congress a report that--
            (1) describes in detail--
                    (A) all efforts of the executive branch to combat 
                illegal fishing and the use of forced labor by the 
                fishing fleets and aquaculture industry of the People's 
                Republic of China; and
                    (B) the funds and other resources allocated to such 
                efforts; and
            (2) includes requests for the additional funding, 
        resources, and authorities necessary to combat illegal fishing 
        and the use of forced labor by the fishing fleets and 
        aquaculture industry of the People's Republic of China.
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