[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2732 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2732

  To ensure that all States participating in the National Boll Weevil 
               Eradication Program are treated equitably.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 15, 2000

   Mr. Gramm introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To ensure that all States participating in the National Boll Weevil 
               Eradication Program are treated equitably.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Boll Weevil Eradication Equity 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) as of the date of enactment of this Act, infestation by 
        Anthonomus grandis (commonly known as the ``boll weevil'') has 
        caused more than $15,000,000,000 in damage to cotton crops of 
        the United States and costs cotton producers in the United 
        States approximately $300,000,000 annually;
            (2) through the National Boll Weevil Eradication Program 
        (referred to in this Act as the ``program''), the Animal and 
        Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department of 
        Agriculture partners with producers to provide technical 
        assistance and Federal cost share funds to States in an effort 
        to eradicate the boll weevil;
            (3) States that enrolled in the program before 1994 have 
        since been able to complete boll weevil eradication and were 
        provided a Federal cost share that accounted for an average of 
        26.9 percent of the total cost of eradication;
            (4) States that enrolled in the program in or after 1994 
        account for 65 percent of the national cotton acreage and are 
        now provided an average Federal cost share of only 4 percent, 
        placing a tremendous financial burden on the individual 
        producers;
            (5) the addition of vast acreage into the program has 
        resulted in an increased need for Federal cost share funds;
            (6) a producer that participates in the program today 
        deserves not less than the same level of commitment that was 
        provided to producers that enrolled in the program before 1994; 
        and
            (7) the ability of all States to eradicate the boll weevil 
        would prevent further migration of the boll weevil to boll 
        weevil-free areas and reintroduction of the boll weevil in 
        those areas having completed boll weevil eradication.

SEC. 3. BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall provide funds to pay at least 26.9 
percent of the total program costs incurred by producers participating 
in the program.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as are necessary for 
fiscal years 2001 through 2004.
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