<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><BillSummaries>
    <item congress="117" measure-type="hr" measure-number="2918" measure-id="id117hr2918" originChamber="HOUSE" orig-publish-date="2021-04-30" update-date="2022-05-31">
        <title>Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act</title>
        <summary summary-id="id117hr2918v00" currentChamber="HOUSE" update-date="2022-05-31">
            <action-date>2021-04-30</action-date>
            <action-desc>Introduced in House</action-desc>
            <summary-text><![CDATA[ <p><strong>Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to undertake rulemaking and other activities to implement certain recommendations of the National Organic Standards Board (a federal advisory board that considers and makes recommendations concerning the production, handling, and processing of organic products).</p> <p>Specifically, USDA must issue within a specified time line final rules for implementing recommendations approved (1) by the board between December 31, 2000, and the date of the bill's enactment; and (2) with at least two-thirds of the votes cast at a meeting where a quorum was present. If USDA determines issuing rules for such recommendations is not practicable, it must identify and report to Congress about the specific constraints that preclude rulemaking.</p> <p>In addition, the bill sets out a process and time line for USDA to implement through rulemaking future recommendations of the board that are approved by at least two-thirds of the votes cast at a meeting where a quorum was present. </p> <p>The bill also requires state officials or entities that certify organic farms or handling operations to report annually concerning the implementation of and compliance with any new rule or guidance.</p>]]></summary-text>
        </summary>
    </item>
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        <dc:language>EN</dc:language>
        <dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
        <dc:contributor>Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress</dc:contributor>
        <dc:description>This file contains bill summaries for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.</dc:description>
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