Source: Drovers magzine
Senate passes resolution to block border reopening
Late last week with a 52-46 vote, the U.S. Senate approved passage of S. J. Res. 4, a resolution to block the USDA decision to reopen the border March 7 to imports of Canadian cattle. A vote on a similar bill is expected in the House, and the President has promised a veto it should it make its way to the White House. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns plans to work with the House to prevent passage of this resolution.
Kansas Senator Pat Roberts warned his colleagues about voting for the resolution. "Be careful what you ask for. We will take a giant step backward in our efforts to reopen markets to Japan, or, for that matter, anywhere, if we vote today to approve this resolution." After the vote, congressmen Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and Robin Hayes, R-N.C., issued a joint statement. "We are disappointed that the Senate acted so hastily in disapproving the USDA's science-based minimal-risk rule that would put us on the path to normalizing beef and cattle trade with Canada." The White House issued its own statement, saying the Senate resolution "would cause continued serious economic disruption of the U.S. beef and cattle industry, undermine U.S. efforts to ensure that international trade standards are based on science, and impede ongoing U.S. efforts to reopen foreign markets currently closed to U.S. beef exports." — G.H.
Senate passes resolution to block border reopening
Late last week with a 52-46 vote, the U.S. Senate approved passage of S. J. Res. 4, a resolution to block the USDA decision to reopen the border March 7 to imports of Canadian cattle. A vote on a similar bill is expected in the House, and the President has promised a veto it should it make its way to the White House. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns plans to work with the House to prevent passage of this resolution.
Kansas Senator Pat Roberts warned his colleagues about voting for the resolution. "Be careful what you ask for. We will take a giant step backward in our efforts to reopen markets to Japan, or, for that matter, anywhere, if we vote today to approve this resolution." After the vote, congressmen Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and Robin Hayes, R-N.C., issued a joint statement. "We are disappointed that the Senate acted so hastily in disapproving the USDA's science-based minimal-risk rule that would put us on the path to normalizing beef and cattle trade with Canada." The White House issued its own statement, saying the Senate resolution "would cause continued serious economic disruption of the U.S. beef and cattle industry, undermine U.S. efforts to ensure that international trade standards are based on science, and impede ongoing U.S. efforts to reopen foreign markets currently closed to U.S. beef exports." — G.H.