June 26, 2023 — U.S. Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata raised the issue of buying American tuna in a question to White House Council of Environmental Quality or CEQ Chairwoman Brenda Mallory, while voicing concerns about the Biden administration’s plan to expand Marine Monument fishing prohibitions.
“Council of Environmental Quality Chairwoman Brenda Mallory is charged with overseeing the Biden Administration’s expansion of the Pacific Remote Islands Monument, so I asked her point blank if she supports the ‘buy American’ program to ensure a domestic supply of tuna for our children and servicemen in the school lunch and military rations programs, but she deflected, and deferred to NOAA,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Let’s be clear, CEQ calls the shots from the White House as NOAA, and the Commerce and Interior departments report through CEQ in the White House, so it is clear that this Administration is waffling on the needs of the Pacific territories for continued fishing rights in the PRIMNM. This makes bad national security and food security policy for the United States and remains potentially devastating to our local economy.”