Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Tuesday revived his talk of “radioactive” shrimp from overseas during a wild line of questioning at a Senate hearing.
Kennedy used “a little extra time” to ask Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins if she considers domestic shrimpers and oyster harvesters to be farmers before adding, “Are they having to compete with other countries who grow oysters and shrimp in a ditch and shoot them full of antibiotics?”
“100% yes,” Rollins replied.
“And if you eat too much of that foreign, foreign shrimp and oysters, you’ll grow an extra ear, won’t you,” added the senator, sparking a chuckle from the secretary and smirks from those in attendance.
“I’m not sure about that but I know it is not good, and I also know we import 90% of our shrimp —,” remarked Rollins before Kennedy interjected.
“Why aren’t we inspecting the shrimp and oysters from abroad?” Kennedy asked.
Kennedy, who has championed buying shrimp from the Bayou State over the years, made waves on social media in September when he brought a poster with an image of a bloody Chestburster from 1979’s “Alien” onto the Senate floor to warn about recalled shrimp that was imported to the States.
The concerns were tied to contaminated shrimp processed by Indonesian-based company PT, leading to a recall of frozen raw shrimp sold under Walmart’s Great Value label last year.
The shrimp shipments were flagged when federal officials detected one sample containing a radioactive isotope called cesium-137, which the senator warned at the time could “kill you even if it doesn’t turn you into” an alien.
(The Food and Drug Administration found that the level of cesium-137 detected in the shrimp sample didn’t pose an acute hazard to consumers. However, it could lead to potential health concerns if consumption lasts over an extended period of time.)
Kennedy previously warned of foreign crustaceans that could make Americans “grow an extra ear” in 2023.
Rollins, in response to Kennedy’s concerns about shrimp and oyster inspections under the federal eye, said the matter is “much larger than that,” before adding, “Why are we importing so much from abroad? Which goes to the president’s trade agenda.”
“I’m in big trouble,” Kennedy replied.
“Yes, you are,” she said.