[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 649 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 649

   Recognizing the contributions of American Viticultural Areas and 
                          winegrowing regions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 25, 2018

   Mr. Blunt (for himself, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the contributions of American Viticultural Areas and 
                          winegrowing regions.

Whereas wineries and vintners in the United States contribute to the economic 
        and cultural life of the United States;
Whereas the economic contributions of wineries and vintners in the United States 
        are significant and expansive, and are attributable to the activities of 
        growers, suppliers, researchers, marketers, wholesalers, distributors, 
        retailers, and others;
Whereas the wine industry in the United States is estimated to have directly and 
        indirectly generated more than $219,000,000,000 for the economy of the 
        United States in 2017;
Whereas there are more than 10,000 wineries operating in all 50 States;
Whereas many of those wineries are small businesses and family owned;
Whereas the wine industry directly employs nearly 1,000,000 people in the United 
        States and supports nearly 300,000 jobs in industries that supply goods 
        and services to winegrowers and wineries;
Whereas the wages earned by people directly employed by wineries and the wine 
        industry totaled more than $33,000,000,000 in 2017;
Whereas wineries and wine regions drive economic activity through the 
        production, distribution, and sale of wine, and attract substantial 
        tourism-related interest and spending;
Whereas wine regions in the United States host more than 43,000,000 tourists and 
        generate nearly $18,000,000,000 in tourism expenditures each year;
Whereas wine tourism supported 375,000 jobs that paid more than $10,000,000,000 
        in wages in 2017;
Whereas an American Viticultural Area (referred to in this preamble as an 
        ``AVA'') is a designated wine-growing region in the United States that 
        has distinguishing features that affect viticulture, including climate, 
        geology, soil, physical features, and elevation;
Whereas 2018 marks the 40\th\ anniversary of the publication of the Decision of 
        the Department of the Treasury to establish the AVA designation system;
Whereas the first AVA was approved on June 20, 1980, in Augusta, Missouri;
Whereas the State of Missouri--

    (1) has a history of wine production that dates back to the first half 
of the 19\th\ century; and

    (2) is part of 5 AVAs, including the Hermann, Loess Hills District, 
Ozark Highlands, and Ozark Mountain areas;

Whereas the first AVA in the State of Oregon was approved on December 1, 1983, 
        as the Willamette Valley AVA;
Whereas the State of Oregon--

    (1) has a history of growing wine grapes that dates back to 1847; and

    (2) is part of the following 18 AVAs: the Applegate Valley, Chehalem 
Mountains, Columbia Gorge, Columbia Valley, Dundee Hills, Elkton Oregon, 
Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Red Hill Douglas County, Ribbon Ridge, the 
Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Rogue Valley, Snake River Valley, 
Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Willamette Valley, and 
Yamhill-Carlton District areas;

Whereas, as of August 15, 2018, there are 242 AVAs in the United States, which 
        are located in the following 33 States: Arizona, Arkansas, California, 
        Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 
        Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, 
        Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North 
        Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, 
        Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin;
Whereas at least 85 percent of a wine must be derived from grapes grown within 
        the boundaries of an AVA in order to use the AVA name on the label for 
        that wine;
Whereas an AVA designation--

    (1) allows vintners to describe more accurately the origin of the wine;

    (2) helps vintners build and enhance the reputation and value of the 
wine produced;

    (3) allows consumers to attribute a given quality, reputation, or other 
characteristic to a wine made from grapes grown in an AVA; and

    (4) helps consumers identify wines to purchase;

Whereas an appellation of origin, such as an AVA designation, can assist wine 
        producers in the United States in establishing distinctive names of 
        places in the United States in global markets and create valuable export 
        opportunities;
Whereas wine exports generated more than $1,600,000,000 for producers in the 
        United States in 2017, which is a 4-fold increase over the past 20 
        years;
Whereas the protection of an AVA term, or other appellation of origin, in a 
        foreign country helps vintners effectively promote products and 
        increases awareness of the region of origin;
Whereas the wine industry of the United States is growing and accounts for 10 
        percent of global wine production;
Whereas wine-growing regions and wine growers in the United States--

    (1) contribute to the economic prosperity of the United States; and

    (2) enhance the cultural prestige of the United States by developing 
and sharing wines that are recognized throughout the world;

Whereas consumers in the United States have benefitted from the rich diversity 
        and extraordinary quality of wines and wine-growing regions in the 
        United States; and
Whereas responsibly enjoying wine often serves to enhance the richness of life 
        and brings family and friends closer together: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the significant contributions made by wines 
        and distinctive wine-growing regions in the United States to 
        the economic and cultural life of the United States;
            (2) recognizes the value created in domestic and foreign 
        markets by promoting wines from distinctive wine-growing 
        regions in the United States, including wines protected by an 
        American Viticultural Area designation or other appellation of 
        origin; and
            (3) supports efforts to promote awareness of and 
        appreciation for distinctive wine-growing regions in the United 
        States both in the United States and abroad.
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