The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“EXPORT APPLE ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H9502-H9503 on Oct. 5, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
EXPORT APPLE ACT
Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4148) to amend the Export Apple and Pear Act to limit the applicability of the Act to apples.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4148
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SCOPE OF EXPORT APPLE AND PEAR ACT.
(a) Short Title.--The Act of June 10, 1933 (7 U.S.C. 581 et seq.; commonly known as the Export Apple and Pear Act), is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 11. This Act may be cited as the `Export Apple Act'.''.
(b) Definition of Apples.--Section 9 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 589) is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following new paragraph:
``(4) The term `apples' means fresh whole apples, whether or not the apples have been in storage.''.
(c) Elimination of References to Pears.--Such Act is further amended--
(1) by striking ``and/or pears'' each place it appears in the first section and sections 5 and 6; and
(2) by striking ``or pears'' each place it appears in the first section and sections 2, 3, and 4.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing).
Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4148, a bill that amends the Export Apple and Pear Act to exclude pears from this act. This is being done because farmers producing pears for export advise us that this action will benefit the industry's effort to increase exports of pears.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture advised the Committee on Agriculture that mandatory Federal quality standards are no longer needed to assure the high quality of exported pears. USDA believes that the U.S. pear industry needs greater flexibility than the act currently allows in order to respond to international markets. This bill will help the pear industry achieve increased exports and essential goals for all farmers in the U.S.
Mr. Speaker, this 65 year old law was originally intended to protect the reputation of U.S. apples and pears in foreign markets by requiring inspection and certification prior to export. Now, however, pear exporters find that the act is more of a hinderance than an asset for their exports. They wish to be able to export to all the markets willing to purchase U.S. pears. H.R. 4148 will allow U.S. farmers to increase pear exports.
Mr. Speaker, USDA supports enactment of H.R. 4148 and advises the committee that enactment of H.R. 4148 would not result in increased outlays. CBO estimates that there are no costs to H.R. 4148.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4148.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4148 which updates the Apple and Pear Export Act. For many years, as the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Ewing) has explained, the act has served the very beneficial use for the two industries, but tonight the pear industry asked to be relieved from coming under that bill. The effect is to eliminate an outdated requirement for a law that worked well for many years but is now hindering further development for markets for U.S. pears.
The pear industry now believes that market opportunities will be enhanced by greater flexibility. For example, last year the sale of 200,000 cartons of pears to Russia was made possible by a January 1997 amendment to the act that allowed for the shipment of a more competitive grade of pears to that country. This bill gives greater control to the pear industry just as the Russian government has begun to privatize its economy.
Our farmers are increasingly dependent on foreign markets. It is, therefore, essential that the regulations they operate under are designed to help them compete in these markets.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this regulatory improvement which will provide our pear producers with much greater flexibility.
Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4148, a bill to amend the Export Apple and Pear Act. The Export Apple and Pear Act, enacted on June 10, 1933, requires that apples and pears meet certain standards prior to export in order to ensure only high quality U.S. fruit moves in foreign commerce.
Pears exported from the United States are grown almost exclusively in Oregon, California and Washington and the pear organizations in these states support this bill. U.S. pear producers and shippers recommended that pears should be dropped from the Act so that they can increase the volume of pear exports.
H.R. 4148 eliminates pears from the Act, thereby allowing U.S. exporters greater flexibility in the changing international marketplace and the opportunity to increase exports. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) believes that mandatory federal quality standards for pears are no longer needed to assure the high quality of exported pears.
USDA supports enactment of H.R. 4148 and advises the Committee that enactment of H.R. 4148 would not result in increased outlays.
CBO estimates there is no cost to H.R. 4148.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4148.
Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I, too, yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4148.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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