[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 96 (Monday, June 8, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H3968-H3970]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STOP ILLEGAL FISHING ACT
Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 6338) to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to
foreign persons and foreign vessels that engage in illegal, unreported,
and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6338
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 ``Stop Illegal Fishing Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the Sense of Congress that--
(1) illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (referred
to in this section as ``IUU fishing'') is a rising and
harmful global trend;
(2) the People's Republic of China is the primary
perpetrator of IUU fishing and the largest exploiter of
global fisheries;
(3) IUU fishing is a concerning and significant driver of
overfishing, thereby threatening fisheries, damaging marine
ecosystems, and inhibiting conservation;
(4) IUU fishing in another country's exclusive economic
zone violates international law as reflected in the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, undermines the
rules-based order, ignores sovereign rights, reinforces
excessive maritime claims, exploits finite resources, and
unfairly seizes economic access at the expense of coastal
states;
(5) IUU fishing is often associated with substandard and
illicit conditions for crew, including lack of safety
controls, illegally low pay, inhumane treatment, and, in some
cases, outright forced labor or human trafficking;
(6) IUU fishing has a particularly nefarious impact on
coastal communities in poor and developing nations that rely
on ocean bounties;
(7) IUU fishing undermines the economic security of the
United States and undermines maritime security around the
globe; and
(8) the United States Government should utilize sanctions
to deter and prevent IUU fishing.
SEC. 3. SANCTIONS.
(a) Sanctions With Respect to Foreign Persons.--The
President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection
(e) with respect to any foreign person that knowingly--
(1) owns any vessel that engages in IUU fishing;
(2) works as a captain or senior crew member on such a
vessel;
(3) operates as an entity primarily engaged in IUU fishing;
or
(4) serves as an officer or senior manager in an entity
primarily engaged in IUU fishing.
(b) Sanctions With Respect to Foreign Vessels.--The
President shall impose the
[[Page H3969]]
sanctions described in subsection (e) with respect to any
foreign vessel that engages in IUU fishing.
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five
years, the President shall submit to the appropriate
committees a report that--
(1) describes all efforts to carry out the requirements of
subsections (a) and (b); and
(2) lists all foreign persons and foreign vessels
sanctioned thereunder.
(d) Sanctions Program Required.--In carrying out subsection
(a) and subsection (b), the President shall direct the
creation of an IUU fishing sanctions program.
(e) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this
subsection are the following:
(1) Asset blocking.--Notwithstanding the requirements of
section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers
Act (50 U.S.C. 1701), the President may exercise of all
powers granted to the President by that Act to the extent
necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all
property and interests in property of the foreign person or
foreign vessel 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.
(2) Visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) In general.--An alien who the Secretary of State or the
Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such
Secretaries) knows, or has reason to believe, is described in
subsection (a) is--
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible for a visa or other documentation to enter
the United States; and
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into
the United States or to receive any other benefit under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked.--
(i) In general.--The issuing consular officer, the
Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or
a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall, in accordance
with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1201(i)), revoke any visa or other entry documentation
issued to an alien described in subparagraph (A) regardless
of when the visa or other entry documentation is issued.
(ii) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under clause (i)--
(I) shall take effect immediately; and
(II) shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or
entry documentation that is in the alien's possession.
(f) Exceptions.--
(1) Exception to comply with international obligations.--
Sanctions under subsection (e)(2) shall not apply with
respect to the admission of an alien if admitting or paroling
the alien into the United States is necessary to permit the
United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the
Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success
June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947,
between the United Nations and the United States, or other
applicable international obligations.
(2) Exception relating to the provision of humanitarian
assistance.--Sanctions under this section may not be imposed
with respect to transactions or the facilitation of
transactions for--
(A) the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine,
or medical devices;
(B) the provision of humanitarian assistance;
(C) financial transactions relating to humanitarian
assistance; or
(D) transporting goods or services that are necessary to
carry out operations relating to humanitarian assistance.
(3) Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, and
national security activities.--Sanctions under this section
shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law
enforcement, or national security activities of the United
States.
(4) Exception for safety of vessels and crew.--Sanctions
under this section shall not apply with respect to a person
providing provisions to a vessel otherwise subject to
sanctions under this section if such provisions are intended
for the safety and care of the crew aboard the vessel, the
protection of human life aboard the vessel, or the
maintenance of the vessel to avoid any environmental or other
significant damage.
(g) Implementation; Penalties.--
(1) Implementation.--The President may exercise all
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 carry out this section.
(2) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections
(b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person
that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or
causes a violation of regulations promulgated to carry out
this section to the same extent that such penalties apply to
a person who commits an unlawful act described in section
206(a) of that Act.
(h) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of
sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person or foreign
vessel under this section if the President certifies to the
appropriate congressional committees, not later than 15 days
before such waiver is to take effect, that the waiver is
important to the national security interests of the United
States.
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee
on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(2) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means an
individual or entity that is not a United States person.
(3) Foreign vessel.--The term ``foreign vessel'' means a
vessel of foreign registry or operated under the authority of
a foreign country.
(4) IUU fishing.--The term ``IUU fishing'' has the meaning
given the term in section 3532 of the Maritime SAFE Act (16
U.S.C. 8001).
(5) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means--
(A) a United States citizen;
(B) a permanent resident alien of the United States;
(C) 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
(D) a person in the United States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Mast) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Bera) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on H.R. 6338.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6338, the Stop Illegal Fishing
Act, led by Chairwoman Kim and Ranking Member Meeks.
Illegal fishing is a national security problem. The Chinese Communist
Party uses so-called commercial fishing fleets as an instrument of
state power. These vessels violate sovereign waters, undermine local
economies, and in the end, they support Beijing's broader campaign of
coercion around the globe.
This is not simply about catching fish. It is about the CCP using
economic pressure, maritime intimidation, and lawless behavior to
expand its influence and weaken the sovereignty of other nations.
For years, China has operated in the world's worst illegal and
unreported and unregulated fishing fleet. The United States cannot
allow this behavior to continue without consequences.
The Stop Illegal Fishing Act gives our government additional tools to
identify, expose, and hold accountable those responsible for illegal
fishing and the networks that do enable it.
Just as importantly, it sends a clear message that the United States
stands for free and open oceans, governed by rules, not governed by
coercion.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Kim and Ranking Member Meeks for
their leadership on this bipartisan legislation. I absolutely urge all
Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, May 28, 2026.
Hon. Brian Mast,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington DC.
Dear Chairman Mast: I write regarding H.R. 6338, the Stop
Illegal Fishing Act. Provisions of this bill fall within the
Judiciary Committee's Rule X jurisdiction, and I appreciate
that you consulted with us on those provisions. The Judiciary
Committee agrees that it shall be discharged from further
consideration of the bill so that it may proceed
expeditiously to the House floor.
The Committee takes this action with the understanding that
forgoing further consideration of this measure does not in
any way alter the Committee's jurisdiction or waive any
future jurisdictional claim over these provisions or their
subject matter. We also reserve the right to seek appointment
of an appropriate number of conferees in the event of a
conference with the Senate involving this measure or similar
legislation.
I ask that you please insert this letter in the
Congressional Record during consideration of this measure on
the House floor. I appreciate the cooperative manner in which
our committees have worked on this matter, and I look forward
to working collaboratively in the future on matters of shared
jurisdiction. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Jim Jordan,
Chairman.
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House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, June 8, 2026.
Hon. Jim Jordan,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington DC.
Dear Chairman Jordan: Thank you for consulting with the
Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 6338, the Stop Illegal Fishing
Act, so that the measure may proceed expeditiously to the
House floor.
I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure
does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of
your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would
support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate
conference on this legislation.
I will seek to place our letters on this bill into the
Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate
your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward
to continuing to work together as this measure moves through
the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Brian Mast,
Chairman.
Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Ranking Member Meeks'
legislation, H.R. 6338, the Stop Illegal Fishing Act.
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is a threat to the
economic security, environment, and sovereignty of small Island
nations, including our partners in the Pacific Islands. For many
Pacific Island nations, the ocean is their greatest national resource.
Fisheries support livelihoods, government revenues, and the well-being
of communities. Yet, too often, foreign vessels engage in illegal
fishing practices that deplete fish stocks, undermine local economies,
and erode the ability of Pacific nations to manage their own maritime
resources.
These activities can also fuel broader instability and coercive
behavior in a region that is central to America's strategic interests.
The United States has made a commitment to deepen our partnership
with Pacific Island countries and to support a free, open, and
resilient Pacific. By strengthening consequences for those who engage
in illegal fishing, this legislation helps protect marine resources,
supports sustainable fisheries, and stand with our Pacific partners as
they defend their economic futures.
Mr. Speaker, illegal fishing is an issue around the world. Countries
like China, Iran, and Russia are willfully or, at best, negligently
violating international law, undermining human rights, and hurting
communities for their own benefit. It is time to put a stop to this.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Stop Illegal Fishing
Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MAST. I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Speaker, the United States will not stand by while China uses
economic coercion as an intimidation tactic.
This bill is an important reminder to show our allies and our
partners in the Indo-Pacific that we are the United States of America.
We do not back down.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 6338, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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