Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has introduced legislation that would strengthen the Buy American provision within the National School Lunch Program to put more domestic seafood on students’ lunch trays.
Bill 2529 would require that fish and fish products served through the federal program be caught in U.S. waters or, in the case of tuna, caught by a U.S. flagged vessel.
In a prepared statement, Cantwell noted that purchasing domestically caught seafood from U.S. vendors is the healthy choice for American school children and would also end the practice of “subsidizing U.S. tax dollars for an inferior product.”
“Our bill will ensure fish and fish products served in our schools are American-caught, providing nutritious meals to help students grow and stay healthy,” Cantwell said. “Buying American fish will also bolster our commercial fishing industry, support thousands of jobs and prevent overfishing.”