House Concurrent Resolution 11 - Introduced
PAG LIN
1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY KUHN and WHITAKER
1 3 A Concurrent Resolution requesting the United States
1 4 government to take actions securing the integrity of
1 5 the nation's meat supply by restricting the
1 6 importation of ruminants and ruminant products into
1 7 the United States from Canada.
1 8 WHEREAS, on December 23, 2003, the Animal and Plant
1 9 Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States
1 10 Department of Agriculture made a preliminary diagnosis
1 11 of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy
1 12 cow in Washington state; and
1 13 WHEREAS, a subsequent investigation to trace the
1 14 origin of the cow determined that the cow was born on
1 15 a farm in Alberta, Canada, entering the United States
1 16 through Oroville, Washington; and
1 17 WHEREAS, on May 20, 2003, APHIS issued an order
1 18 prohibiting the importation of all live ruminants,
1 19 including cattle, and meat products derived from
1 20 ruminants from Canada; and
1 21 WHEREAS, the federal ban on the importation of
1 22 ruminants and products derived from ruminants from
1 23 Canada has continued in force; and
1 24 WHEREAS, on January 4, 2005, APHIS published a
1 25 final rule designating Canada as a minimal=risk
1 26 region, allowing the resumption of Canadian imports of
1 27 ruminants and meat products derived from ruminants;
1 28 and
1 29 WHEREAS, although on December 30, 2004, and January
1 30 11, 2005, the Canadian government announced the
2 1 existence of two additional cases of cows testing
2 2 positive for BSE, APHIS has refused to rescind or
2 3 modify its minimal=risk rule which was due to take
2 4 effect on March 7, 2005; and
2 5 WHEREAS, on March 2, 2005, the United States
2 6 District Court for the District of Montana granted a
2 7 preliminary injunction to prevent the implementation
2 8 of the minimal=risk rule, and APHIS has announced that
2 9 until pending litigation is resolved the import
2 10 restrictions on ruminants and products derived from
2 11 ruminants originating from Canada will remain in
2 12 effect; and
2 13 WHEREAS, beef and dairy cattle operators are family
2 14 farmers who provide wholesome and nutritious products
2 15 which are served on tables around the world and to
2 16 their own families; and
2 17 WHEREAS, it is vital that the United States
2 18 government, in cooperation with state governments and
2 19 beef and dairy cattle operators, is vigilant in
2 20 preserving confidence in our nation's meat supply by
2 21 maintaining a system of science=based firewalls to
2 22 foreign contaminants; NOW THEREFORE,
2 23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE
2 24 SENATE CONCURRING, That the United States Congress and
2 25 the United States Department of Agriculture
2 26 immediately reexamine the provisions of the rule
2 27 referred to as "Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy;
2 28 Minimal=Risk Regions and Importations of Commodities"
2 29 (Docket No. 03=080=3) for the purposes of rescinding
2 30 the rule and retaining prohibitions upon the
3 1 importation of certain ruminants and associated
3 2 products, including the importation of cattle, from
3 3 Canada until there is certainty that the integrity of
3 4 this nation's food supply remains beyond question; and
3 5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this
3 6 Resolution be sent to President of the United States;
3 7 the United States Secretary of Agriculture; and the
3 8 Administrator of the Animal and Plant Inspection
3 9 Service of the United States Department of
3 10 Agriculture; and
3 11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this
3 12 Resolution be sent to the President of the United
3 13 States Senate; the Speaker of the United States House
3 14 of Representatives; the Chairman of the Senate
3 15 Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; the
3 16 Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee; and
3 17 Iowa's congressional delegation.
3 18 LSB 2577HH 81
3 19 da:rj/gg/14
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