Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata has joined as a cosponsor of the bipartisan Standards for Understanding Source and Habitat Identification (SUSHI) Act, H.R. 3706. The House Natural Resources Committee approved the bill by unanimous consent on Wednesday.
The SUSHI Act is intended to address Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, which poses challenges to the American tuna industry and other seafood sectors. The legislation mandates that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, along with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, develop a standardized method to identify the country of origin for seafood. This measure aims to help enforce actions against IUU fishing.
“Food security is national security, and in the Pacific we’ve consistently raised the alarm over IUU fishing. The U.S. has been doing more to signal a growing commitment to these priorities, and this legislation will strengthen efforts to add protections regarding our seafood sources and keep our U.S. fishing competitive and supplying American households with tuna, which ultimately strengthens American Samoa,” said Congresswoman Amata.
In addition to her work on fisheries legislation, Congresswoman Amata is also an original cosponsor of a bipartisan bill concerning the establishment of a National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C. The bill was reviewed during a legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on Federal Lands within the House Natural Resources Committee.
The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), would allow for selecting a prominent site on the National Mall for the museum. It also requires that exhibits accurately reflect women’s history and contributions as preparations continue for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
