[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 20, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   VEGETABLE INK PRINTING ACT OF 1994

  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 716) to require that all Federal lithographic printing 
be performed using ink make from vegetable oil and materials derived 
from other renewable resources, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 716

       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 ``Vegetable Ink Printing Act 
     of 1994''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) More than 95 percent of Federal printing involving 
     documents or publications is performed using lithographic 
     inks.
       (2) Various types of oil, including petroleum and vegetable 
     oil, are used in lithographic ink.
       (3) Increasing the amount of vegetable oil used in a 
     lithographic ink would--
       (A) help reduce the Nation's use of nonrenewable energy 
     resources;
       (B) result in the use of products that are less damaging to 
     the environment;
       (C) result in a reduction of volatile organic compound 
     emissions; and
       (D) increase the use of renewable agricultural products.
       (4) The technology exists to use vegetable oil in 
     lithographic ink and, in some applications, to use 
     lithographic ink that uses no petroleum distillates in the 
     liquid portion of the ink.
       (5) Some lithographic inks have contained vegetable oils 
     for many years; other lithographic inks have more recently 
     began to use vegetable oil.
       (6) According to the Government Printing Office, using 
     vegetable oil-based ink appears to add little if any 
     additional cost to Government printing.
       (7) Use of vegetable oil-based ink in Federal Government 
     printing should further develop--
       (A) the commercial viability of vegetable oil-based ink, 
     which could result in demand, for domestic use alone, for 
     2,500,000,000 pounds of vegetable crops or 500,000,000 pounds 
     of vegetable oil; and
       (B) a product that could help the United States retain or 
     enlarge its share of the world market for vegetable oil-ink.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to require that 
     all lithographic printing using ink containing oil that is 
     performed or procured by a Federal agency shall use ink 
     containing the maximum amounts of vegetable oil and materials 
     derived from other renewable resources that--
       (1) are technologically feasible, and
       (2) result in printing costs that are competitive with 
     printing using petroleum-based inks.

     SEC. 3. FEDERAL PRINTING REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) General Rule.--Notwithstanding any other law, and 
     except as provided in subsection (b), a Federal agency may 
     not perform or procure lithographic printing that uses ink 
     containing oil if the ink contains less than the following 
     percentage of vegetable oil:
       (1) In the case of news ink, 40 percent.
       (2) In the case of sheet-fed ink, 20 percent.
       (3) In the case of forms ink, 20 percent.
       (4) In the case of heat-set ink, 10 percent.
       (b) Exceptions.--
       (1) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to 
     lithographic printing performed or procured by a Federal 
     agency, if--
       (A) the head of the agency determines, after consultation 
     with the Public Printer and within the 3-year period ending 
     on the date of the commencement of the printing or the date 
     of that procurement, respectively, that vegetable oil-based 
     ink is not suitable to meet specific, identified requirements 
     of the agency related to the printing; or
       (B) the Public Printer determines--
       (i) within the 3-month period ending on the date of the 
     commencement of the printing, in the case of printing of 
     materials that are printed at intervals of less than 6 
     months, or
       (ii) before the date of the commencement of the printing, 
     in the case of printing of materials that are printed at 
     intervals of 6 months or more;
     that the cost of performing the printing using vegetable oil-
     based ink is significantly greater than the cost of 
     performing the printing using other available ink.
       (2) Notice to congress.--Not later than 30 days after 
     making a determination under paragraph (1)(A), the head of a 
     Federal agency shall report the determination to the 
     Committee on Government Operations and the Committee on House 
     Administration of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committee on Rules of the Senate.
       (c) Federal Agency Defined.--In this Act, the term 
     ``Federal agency'' means--
       (1) an executive department, military department, 
     Government corporation, Government-controlled corporation, or 
     other establishment in the executive branch of the Government 
     (including the Executive Office of the President), or any 
     independent regulatory agency; and
       (2) an establishment or component of the legislative or 
     judicial branch of the Government.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Condit] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Horn] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit].
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity today to pass a bill that will 
help our farmers, increase reliance on a renewable resource, and 
improve the environment. We can accomplish all of this at no cost. The 
Vegetable Ink Printing Act provides this opportunity by directing the 
Federal Government to increase its use of vegetable ink for printing.
  Today, over 95 percent of Federal printing of documents or 
publications is performed using lithographic inks. Lithographic ink is 
petroleum based and heavily dependent on the use of resins and 
solvents. S. 716 requires that all Federal lithographic printing use 
ink made from vegetable oil or other materials derived from renewable 
resources in place of lithographic ink.
  This bill presents a win-win situation for the American people. 
Increasing use of vegetable ink will provide another market for our 
farmer's crops, increase reliance on renewable agricultural resources, 
and improve the environment by reducing emissions of volatile organic 
compounds. Best of all, there is no increased cost associated with 
these benefits.
  Vegetable ink was developed by the American Newspaper Publishers 
Association during the oil crisis of the 1970's. The ink has been 
vigorously promoted by the American Soybean Association and by the 
National Soy Ink Information Center. As a result of these efforts, 
vegetable ink is available today at a price that is competitive with 
petroleum based inks.
  S. 716 passed the Senate without dissent. The bill is supported by 
the printing industry, the Government Printing Office, and the American 
Soybean Association.
  The Committee on Government Operations made a few small amendments to 
the Senate-passed bill. A slight alteration has been made that will 
provide some administrative flexibility. A provision has been added to 
allow an exception if vegetable ink does not meet the needs of a 
specific printing job.
  For example, the Treasury Department tell us that vegetable ink 
cannot be used for printing checks because it may compromise security 
requirements. The new provision will allow the Treasury Department to 
continue to use other types of ink.
  I want to emphasize that this bill will cost nothing to implement. 
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that enactment of S. 716 
would not affect direct spending or receipts. The Public Printer 
testified that the bill can be implemented without additional cost. And 
just in case there is any doubt, the bill includes an exemption in the 
event that the Public Printer determines that the cost of using 
vegetable ink is significantly greater than the cost of using other 
available ink.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Durbin] for 
introducing this bill and for calling it to our attention.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the ranking Republican, the gentleman from 
Wyoming [Mr. Thomas] and myself I rise in support of S. 716. 
Specifically this legislation increases the use of vegetable oil based 
ink for all printing performed or procured by Federal agencies. Several 
States, such as Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, already require its use. 
S. 716 complements these efforts and expands the cleaner technology to 
the Federal level. The Government Printing Office testified that the, 
quote, Vegetable Ink Printing Act, unquote, will not significantly 
increase Federal printing costs. Agencies will be exempted from the act 
if the vegetable oil based ink is not cost effective or suitable for a 
specific printing job.
  I recommend that my colleagues support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. 
Bereuter] who is in support of the bill.
  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, as an original sponsor of nearly identical 
legislation introduced in the House, this Member rises in strong 
support of S. 716, legislation which seeks to expand the use of 
vegetable-based inks for Federal printing purposes and I commend the 
members of this committee for advancing this legislation.
  The Vegetable Ink Printing Act, S. 176, would require that Federal 
lithographic printing be performed using vegetable-based inks when 
technologically feasible and cost-competitive. Therefore, this 
legislation does not mandate the use of these inks but rather 
encourages Federal printers to utilize vegetable-based inks when 
appropriate.
  Mr. Speaker, by promoting the use of vegetable-based inks for Federal 
printing purposes, this legislation will reduce our Nation's dependence 
on foreign petroleum-based products, reduce volatile organic compounds 
emissions which are harmful to the environment, and increase the demand 
for our Nation's renewable agricultural products.
  The U.S. Department of Agriculture is already using vegetable-based 
inks for its printing purposes. According to the USDA, approximately 
$26 million in annual USDA printing will be performed with ink derived 
from agricultural products. Similarly, many newspapers including the 
Nations's largest circulation newspaper, the Los Angeles Time, are 
major users of one particular type of vegetable ink, soy ink.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member strongly supports this legislation which 
will, among other things, open the vast Federal printing market to 
vegetable-based inks. This initiative could potentially result in the 
demand for 2,500,000,000 pounds of vegetable corps or 500,000,000 
pounds of vegetable oil in the U.S. printing market alone. It also 
helps to ensure that the United States will retain, or perhaps 
increase, its share of the world market for vegetable ink. Clearly, 
this legislation is good for our agricultural industry, and it is good 
for our environment.
  In closing, this Member urges his colleagues to support this 
legislation, and this Member would like to commend the gentleman from 
Illinois, [Mr. Durbin], for his hard work in initiating this effort in 
the House and the gentlemen from Minnesota and Iowa respectively, Mr. 
Penny and Mr. Leach, who are also energetic original cosponsors of this 
important initiative.

                              {time}  1710

  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois [Mr. Durbin].
  (Mr. DURBIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Condit] for his hard work on this. I also would like to 
thank the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Conyers], the chairman of the 
committee, who has agreed to allow this bill to come forward during the 
closing weeks of the session.
  My colleague, the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] recently 
mentioned on the floor here that several of us a year ago introduced 
this legislation. The gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Leach], the gentleman 
from Minnesota [Mr. Penny], the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], 
and myself put this bill before the Congress in the hopes we could 
address what we consider to be a problem and an opportunity.
  Over the years, attention has arisen between the environmental 
community and the agricultural community in the United States. I 
personally believe that much of that tension is unnecessary and 
unwarranted. There are many areas where the environmental community and 
the agricultural community in our country can come together, work 
together, and find commonality.
  I will readily concede there are going to be extremists on both sides 
who will never open a dialog. But this bill is an example of where a 
constructive dialog between the environmental community and the 
agricultural community can have positive results.
  We are dealing with what appears to be a very simple problem, but 
what can be a very serious problem, and that is the fact that 
petroleum-based inks, which are used primarily for printing in the 
United States, are not biodegradable and can create serious 
environmental problems.
  Several years ago, experimentation led to the development of 
biodegradable ink, or vegetable oil ink, specifically soybean-based 
ink, that is now being used across the United States in newspapers 
every day. American readers and consumers may not be aware of the fact 
that a different kind of ink is being used. Those in the industry are 
aware of it, because it is a lot easier to work with and creates fewer 
environmental headaches.
  We thought for many years the Federal Government should get on the 
bandwagon and show leadership by encouraging the use of soy ink in 
Federal agencies. This legislation is an attempt to achieve just that. 
We have written this bill with intentional flexibility, so that each 
agency in the Federal Government, should it decide a different type of 
ink is warranted, can turn to it. We have made sure that we will always 
be cost conscious, as the taxpayers want us to be when it comes to the 
use of this product, and we do not want to create a mandate that this 
ink be used if in fact it turns out to be more expensive in a certain 
application.
  I think this bill is a sensible start. I know there are Members in 
the other body anxious to receive the bill and pass it and have it 
signed into law. My only hope is that should that bill signing take 
place, that President Clinton will fill his fountain pen with soy ink 
in a symbolic effort to recognize this is the wave of the future and 
that this bill will start the Federal Government down the path toward 
more cooperation between environmental and agricultural causes.
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa 
[Mr. Leach].
  (Mr. LEACH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 176, the 
Vegetable Ink Printing Act of 1994. As the original author of Model 
legislation on this subject in prior Congresses and as an original 
cosponsor of this bill, I am convinced its passage makes good economic 
and good environmental sense.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Durbin], for his 
leadership on the issue, as well as Pat Sounders and Tom Faletti of Mr. 
Durbin's staff for their dedicated efforts on behalf of this bill. In 
addition, Chairman Condit and the ranking member, Mr. Thomas, of the 
Subcommittee on Information, Justice, Transportation and Agriculture of 
the Committee on Government Operations are to be commended for their 
support and legislative guidance.
  As has previously been explained, S. 176 would require that all 
printing performed or procured by the Federal Government use ink made 
from vegetable oil wherever doing so is technologically feasible and 
cost competitive.
  The use of vegetable--as opposed to petroleum-based--newsprint inks 
by Federal agencies represents progressive change in Government 
printing and procurement practices because it makes Federal printing 
more environmentally sound. Increasing the utilization of renewable 
resources produced by our American farmers decreases America's reliance 
on foreign oil.
  Vegetable ink is not only environmentally friendly, but printers have 
found that it provides better color reproduction, makes for easier 
press cleanup and is less susceptible to smearing. Vegetable ink is 
also economical because it goes further. In fact in certain print 
applications, 10 to 20 percent less vegetable ink is required to do the 
same job as petroleum-based ink.
  On the environmental side of the ledger, vegetable ink has been found 
to be easier to remove from paper pulp prior to recycling, causing less 
damage to the pulp fibers during deinking. This not only speeds up and 
makes recycling easier, but it contributes to better quality recycled 
paper. In addition, substantially less pollutants are released into the 
air in the drying process with the use of vegetable ink.
  Major newspapers using vegetable inks are: the L.A. Times, Denver 
Post, Detroit Free Press, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Boston Globe, 
Washington Times, St. Petersburg Times, USA Today, Cedar Rapids 
Gazette, Quad-City Times, and Des Moines Register. In fact, over 3,000 
U.S. newspapers use vegetable ink, including three fourths of all daily 
newspapers.
  The expanded use of vegetable ink makes good sense for American 
agriculture as well.
  If Federal farm program payments are to come down without 
precipitating a depression in the heartland, it is crucial that new 
demand be developed for agricultural products. The use of vegetable ink 
to print Federal publications will contribute to the expansion of the 
manufacturing base for this ink. As use of soy oil expands as a base 
for ink, it is estimated that soybean demands could approach the 100 
million bushel level, a significant addition to the market. This would 
in turn contribute to the United States retaining or enlarging its 
share of the world market for newsprint ink.
  The words of former Public Printer Robert W. Houk perhaps best sum up 
the arguments for the increased use of vegetable ink this bill would 
require. According to Mr. Houk in a letter written to me 5 years ago, 
``the use of soybean oil ink could help decrease our reliance on 
foreign oil that is used in the petroleum-based inks, reduce our stack 
emissions of pollutants, and help over half a million American farmers 
who currently grow soybeans.''
  Like ethanol, soy ink is just another example of a value added 
commodity which is essential to keep our rural economy strong. The 
future of the Midwest literally depends upon finding new markets for 
products derived from the soil. Soy ink is a wonderful example. It's 
good for the environment, good for the pocketbook, good for the farmer.
  In conclusion, I would like to thank Jo Patterson and Chad Kleppe of 
the Iowa Soybean Association who have worked steadfastly with the 
National Soy Ink Information Center on behalf of this important 
legislation.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, unlike some things we do here, S. 716 makes good 
sense. I urge its passage.
  Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this measure to 
expand the use of value-added agriculture products to provide new 
markets for American farmers, particularly our soybean farmers.
  This is good legislation. The use of soy inks and other vegetable-oil 
inks in our Federal printing operations benefits farmers who are 
seeking new markets for their products, reduces our dependence on 
foreign oil, and is proven to be environmentally sound. We have taken 
measures to ensure that the requirements in this bill will not cause 
any disruption in the printing operations of the Federal Government and 
will not increase costs to the taxpayers.
  I want to thank my colleagues from Illinois, Iowa, and other farm 
States who have worked so hard on this legislation. I am pleased to 
have been part of the effort, and look forward to working with them on 
this important effort.
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
S. 716, the Vegetable Ink Printing Act.
  This legislation offers an important opportunity for this country to 
expand its markets for agricultural products, while placing no 
additional burden on our taxpayers. The bill calls for one simple step 
forward: all Government lithographic printing be done with vegetable-
based ink to the maximum extent technologically feasible and 
commercially cost-competitive. No objections to this proposal have been 
raised by any organization or one single Member of the Senate. An 
official from the Government Printing Office has testified that there 
would be no practical problems with implementing this proposal.
  The importance of this potential market for our ag products should 
not be underestimated. The Department of Agriculture has already moved 
forward to implement the provisions of this bill, and that Department 
alone will bring at least $26 million of orders per year printed with 
vegetable ink.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand with the members of the American Soybean 
Association, the National Corn Growers Association, the Corn Refiners 
Association, Communicating for Agriculture, the Consumer Federation of 
America, and a number of other ag organizations to support this bill.
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this 
legislation as a strong supporter and as the sponsor of House 
Concurrent Resolution 231.
  That resolution encourages the Federal Government to use vegetable-
based oil to the greatest extent practicable in lithographic printing. 
The use of soy ink by Government would use an estimated additional 40 
million bushels of soybeans.
  Greater use of vegetable oil in lithographic ink will increase the 
consumption of domestic renewable resources and help reduce our 
dependence on imported petroleum. Vegetable-based inks are 
environmentally friendly. Vegetable-based inks reduce emissions of 
volatile organic compounds during press operation and cleanup and are 
more biodegradable than petroleum-based inks.
  The Government Printing Office already uses vegetable oil in 25 to 30 
percent of its in-plant production/printing of documents and 
publications. The GPO received approval last year to purchase three new 
letterpresses capable of using vegetable inks in printing production. 
According to the GPO, using vegetable-based ink in Federal printing 
adds little, if any, cost to printing. This is excellent legislation 
and I compliment the sponsor and other leaders of this body for guiding 
this bill to passage.
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hastings). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 716, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill, as amended, was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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