Kaine Applauds Committee Passage of His Bipartisan Bills to Combat IUU Fishing and Illicit Gold Mining

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Ranking Member of the SFRC Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, released the following statement applauding committee passage of his bipartisan legislation that will bolster efforts to counter China, Russia, and organized criminal groups in our hemisphere and around the world:

“Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and illicit gold mining contribute to instability in our hemisphere by funding organized crime, devastating environments and ecosystems, and serving as a hotbed for human rights abuses. I’m glad that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced my bipartisan legislation to combat IUU fishing and illegal gold mining in the Western Hemisphere and to hold bad actors, especially China and organized criminal groups, accountable. We also passed major bipartisan legislation to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions on its energy sector. These bills will promote security and prosperity in the Americas and around the world, and I urge the full Senate to pass this bipartisan legislation as soon as possible.”

The following legislation was passed out of committee:

• Protecting Global Fisheries Act: Bipartisan legislation led by Kaine and Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Curtis (R-UT), and Rick Scott (R-FL) to combat IUU fishing, which disrupts international trade and undermines maritime security, marine ecosystems and biodiversity, and food and economic security.
• U.S. Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act: Bipartisan legislation led by Kaine and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to require the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive strategy to lead partners and allies in combating organized criminal groups profiting from illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere.
• SHADOW Fleet: Bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Kaine and led by Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to expand U.S. sanctions authorities to target the Russian shadow fleet—older, reflagged, and leaky oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent existing U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

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