[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 162 (Thursday, October 19, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15339-S15341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LUGAR:
  S. 1336. A bill to enable processors of popcorn to develop, finance, 
and carry out a nationally coordinated program for popcorn promotion, 
research, consumer information, and industry information, and for other 
purposes.


     THE POPCORN PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND CONSUMER INFORMATION ACT

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Popcorn 
Research, Promotion and Consumer Information Act which will allow the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture to issue an order establishing a popcorn 
promotion program. This will be similar to other agricultural promotion 
programs for dairy, beef, pork, eggs, and potatoes, to name a few.
  Americans consume 17.3 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually, or 
68 quarts per person. It is one of the most wholesome and economical 
foods available to the consumer. My home State of Indiana leads all 
States in popcorn production, with more than 77,000 acres harvested 
last year. Following Indiana, major popcorn producing States are 
Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, and 
Michigan.
  In the past, the popcorn industry has united to promote and market 
its product. Total popcorn sales, as a result of these efforts, have 
grown throughout the past several years, but great potential exists to 
accelerate this trend with a larger, industry-wide, cooperative effort.
  Under a popcorn promotion program, popcorn processors would pay a 
small assessment on each pound of popcorn marketed. The Secretary of 
Agriculture would then select a Popcorn Board, made up of 
representatives from the industry to administer the program, with 
oversight by USDA. The funds collected would be used for research, 
promotion and consumer information projects with the goal of increasing 
consumption of popcorn.
  The entire popcorn industry would benefit from a popcorn promotion 
program. These programs have been extremely successful for other 
commodities. Furthermore, they operate at no cost to the Federal 
Government, because all Government expenses are reimbursed from the 
programs funds. I urge my colleagues to support this self-help 
agricultural initiative.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1336

       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 ``Popcorn Promotion, Research, 
     and Consumer Information Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) popcorn is an important food that is a valuable part of 
     the human diet;
       (2) the production and processing of popcorn plays a 
     significant role in the economy of the United States in that 
     popcorn is processed by several popcorn processors, 
     distributed through wholesale and retail outlets, and 
     consumed by millions of people throughout the United States 
     and foreign countries;
       (3) popcorn must be of high quality, readily available, 
     handled properly, and marketed efficiently to ensure that the 
     benefits of popcorn are available to the people of the United 
     States;
       (4) the maintenance and expansion of existing markets and 
     uses and the development of new markets and uses for popcorn 
     are vital to the welfare of processors and persons concerned 
     with marketing, using, and producing popcorn for the market, 
     as well as to the agricultural economy of the United States;
       (5) the cooperative development, financing, and 
     implementation of a coordinated program of popcorn promotion, 
     research, consumer information, and industry information is 
     necessary to maintain and expand markets for popcorn; and
       (6) popcorn moves in interstate and foreign commerce, and 
     popcorn that does not move in those channels of commerce 
     directly burdens or affects interstate commerce in popcorn.
       (b) Policy.--It is the policy of Congress that it is in the 
     public interest to authorize the establishment, through the 
     exercise of the powers provided in this Act, of an orderly 
     procedure for developing, financing (through adequate 
     assessments on unpopped popcorn processed domestically), and 
     carrying out an effective, continuous, and coordinated 
     program of promotion, research, consumer information, and 
     industry information designed to--
       (1) strengthen the position of the popcorn industry in the 
     marketplace; and
       (2) maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets and 
     uses for popcorn.
       (c) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to--
       (1) maintain and expand the markets for all popcorn 
     products in a manner that--
       (A) is not designed to maintain or expand any individual 
     share of a producer or processor of the market;
       (B) does not compete with or replace individual advertising 
     or promotion efforts designed to promote individual brand 
     name or trade name popcorn products; and
       (C) authorizes and funds programs that result in government 
     speech promoting government objectives; and
       (2) establish a nationally coordinated program for popcorn 
     promotion, research, consumer information, and industry 
     information.
       (d) Statutory Construction.--This Act treats processors 
     equitably. Nothing in this Act--
       (1) provides for the imposition of a trade barrier to the 
     entry into the United States of imported popcorn for the 
     domestic market; or
       (2) provides for the control of production or otherwise 
     limits the right of any individual processor to produce 
     popcorn.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act (except as otherwise specifically provided):
       (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Popcorn Board 
     established under section 5(b).
       (2) Commerce.--The term ``commerce'' means interstate, 
     foreign, or intrastate commerce.
       (3) Consumer information.--The term ``consumer 
     information'' means information and programs that will assist 
     consumers and other persons in making evaluations and 
     decisions regarding the purchase, preparation, and use of 
     popcorn.
       (4) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Agriculture.
       (5) Industry information.--The term ``industry 
     information'' means information and programs that will lead 
     to the development of--
       (A) new markets, new marketing strategies, or increased 
     efficiency for the popcorn industry; or
       (B) activities to enhance the image of the popcorn 
     industry.
       (6) Marketing.--The term ``marketing'' means the sale or 
     other disposition of unpopped popcorn for human consumption 
     in a channel of commerce, but does not include a sale or 
     disposition to or between processors.
       (7) Order.--The term ``order'' means an order issued under 
     section 4.
       (8) Person.--The term ``person'' means an individual, group 
     of individuals, partnership, corporation, association, or 
     cooperative, or any other legal entity.
       (9) Popcorn.--The term ``popcorn'' means unpopped popcorn 
     (Zea Mays L), commercially grown in the United States, 
     processed by shelling, cleaning, or drying and introduced 
     into a channel of commerce.
       (10) Process.--The term ``process'' means to shell, clean, 
     dry, and prepare popcorn for the market, but does not include 
     packaging popcorn for the market without also engaging in 
     another activity described in this paragraph.
       (11) Processor.--The term ``processor'' means a person 
     engaged in the preparation of unpopped popcorn for the market 
     who owns or shares the ownership and risk of loss of the 
     popcorn and who processes and distributes over 4,000,000 
     pounds of popcorn in the market per year.
       (12) Promotion.--The term ``promotion'' means an action, 
     including paid advertising, to enhance the image or 
     desirability of popcorn.
       (13) Research.--The term ``research'' means any type of 
     study to advance the image, desirability, marketability, 
     production, product development, quality, or nutritional 
     value of popcorn.
       (14) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.
       (15) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States 
     and the District of Columbia.
       (16) United states.--The term ``United States'' means all 
     of the States.
     
[[Page S 15340]]


     SEC. 4. ISSUANCE OF ORDERS.

       (a) In General.--To effectuate the policy described in 
     section 2(b), the Secretary, subject to subsection (b), shall 
     issue 1 or more orders applicable to processors. An order 
     shall be applicable to all popcorn production and marketing 
     areas in the United States. Not more than 1 order shall be in 
     effect under this Act at any 1 time.
       (b) Procedure.--
       (1) Proposal or request for issuance.--The Secretary may 
     propose the issuance of an order, or an association of 
     processors or any other person that would be affected by an 
     order may request the issuance of, and submit a proposal for, 
     an order.
       (2) Notice and comment concerning proposed order.--Not 
     later than 30 days after the receipt of a request and 
     proposal for an order under paragraph (1), or at such time as 
     the Secretary determines to propose an order, the Secretary 
     shall publish a proposed order and give due notice and 
     opportunity for public comment on the proposed order.
       (3) Issuance of order.--After notice and opportunity for 
     public comment under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall issue 
     an order, taking into consideration the comments received and 
     including in the order such provisions as are necessary to 
     ensure that the order conforms to this Act. The order shall 
     be issued and become effective not later than 150 days after 
     the date of publication of the proposed order.
       (c) Amendments.--The Secretary, as appropriate, may amend 
     an order. The provisions of this Act applicable to an order 
     shall be applicable to any amendment to an order, except that 
     an amendment to an order may not require a referendum to 
     become effective.

     SEC. 5. REQUIRED TERMS IN ORDERS.

       (a) In General.--An order shall contain the terms and 
     conditions specified in this section.
       (b) Establishment and Membership of Popcorn Board.--
       (1) In general.--The order shall provide for the 
     establishment of, and appointment of members to, a Popcorn 
     Board that shall consist of not fewer than 4 members and not 
     more than 9 members.
       (2) Nominations.--The members of the Board shall be 
     processors appointed by the Secretary from nominations 
     submitted by processors in a manner authorized by the 
     Secretary, subject to paragraph (3). Not more than 1 member 
     may be appointed to the Board from nominations submitted by 
     any 1 processor.
       (3) Geographical diversity.--In making appointments, the 
     Secretary shall take into account, to the extent practicable, 
     the geographical distribution of popcorn production 
     throughout the United States.
       (4) Terms.--The term of appointment of each member of the 
     Board shall be 3 years, except that the members appointed to 
     the initial Board shall serve, proportionately, for terms of 
     2, 3, and 4 years, as determined by the Secretary.
       (5) Compensation and expenses.--A member of the Board shall 
     serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for the 
     expenses of the member incurred in the performance of duties 
     for the Board.
       (c) Powers and Duties of Board.--The order shall define the 
     powers and duties of the Board, which shall include the power 
     and duty--
       (1) to administer the order in accordance with the terms 
     and provisions of the order;
       (2) to make regulations to effectuate the terms and 
     provisions of the order;
       (3) to appoint members of the Board to serve on an 
     executive committee;
       (4) to propose, receive, evaluate, and approve budgets, 
     plans, and projects of promotion, research, consumer 
     information, and industry information, and to contract with 
     appropriate persons to implement the plans or projects;
       (5) to accept and receive voluntary contributions, gifts, 
     and market promotion or similar funds;
       (6) to invest, pending disbursement under a plan or 
     project, funds collected through assessments authorized under 
     subsection (f), only in--
       (A) obligations of the United States or an agency of the 
     United States;
       (B) general obligations of a State or a political 
     subdivision of a State;
       (C) an interest-bearing account or certificate of deposit 
     of a bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System; or
       (D) obligations fully guaranteed as to principal and 
     interest by the United States;
       (7) to receive, investigate, and report to the Secretary 
     complaints of violations of the order; and
       (8) to recommend to the Secretary amendments to the order.
       (d) Plans and Budgets.--
       (1) In general.--The order shall provide that the Board 
     shall submit to the Secretary for approval any plan or 
     project of promotion, research, consumer information, or 
     industry information.
       (2) Budgets.--The order shall require the Board to submit 
     to the Secretary for approval budgets on a fiscal year basis 
     of the anticipated expenses and disbursements of the Board in 
     the implementation of the order, including projected costs of 
     plans and projects of promotion, research, consumer 
     information, and industry information.
       (e) Contracts and Agreements.--
       (1) In general.--The order shall provide that the Board may 
     enter into contracts or agreements for the implementation and 
     carrying out of plans or projects of promotion, research, 
     consumer information, or industry information, including 
     contracts with a processor organization, and for the payment 
     of the cost of the plans or projects with funds collected by 
     the Board under the order.
       (2) Requirements.--A contract or agreement under paragraph 
     (1) shall provide that--
       (A) the contracting party shall develop and submit to the 
     Board a plan or project, together with a budget that shows 
     the estimated costs to be incurred for the plan or project;
       (B) the plan or project shall become effective on the 
     approval of the Secretary; and
       (C) the contracting party shall keep accurate records of 
     each transaction of the party, account for funds received and 
     expended, make periodic reports to the Board of activities 
     conducted, and make such other reports as the Board or the 
     Secretary may require.
       (3) Processor organizations.--The order shall provide that 
     the Board may contract with processor organizations for any 
     other services. The contract shall include provisions 
     comparable to the provisions required by paragraph (2).
       (f) Assessments.--
       (1) Processors.--The order shall provide that each 
     processor marketing popcorn in the United States or for 
     export shall, in the manner prescribed in the order, pay 
     assessments and remit the assessments to the Board.
       (2) Direct marketers.--A processor that markets popcorn 
     produced by the processor directly to consumers shall pay and 
     remit the assessments on the popcorn directly to the Board in 
     the manner prescribed in the order.
       (3) Rate.--
       (A) In general.--The rate of assessment prescribed in the 
     order shall be a rate established by the Board but not more 
     than $.08 per hundredweight of popcorn.
       (B) Adjustment of rate.--The order shall provide that the 
     Board, with the approval of the Secretary, may raise or lower 
     the rate of assessment annually up to a maximum of $.08 per 
     hundredweight of popcorn.
       (4) Use of assessments.--
       (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the order 
     shall provide that the assessments collected shall be used by 
     the Board--
       (i) to pay the expenses incurred in implementing and 
     administering the order, with provision for a reasonable 
     reserve; and
       (ii) to cover such administrative costs as are incurred by 
     the Secretary except that the costs incurred by the Secretary 
     that may be reimbursed by the Board may not exceed 5 percent 
     of the projected annual revenues of the Board.
       (B) Expenditures based on source of assessments.--In 
     implementing plans and projects of promotion, research, 
     consumer information, and industry information, the Board 
     shall expend funds on--
       (i) plans and projects for domestic popcorn (including 
     Canadian popcorn) in proportion to the amount of assessments 
     collected on popcorn marketed domestically (including 
     Canada); and
       (ii) plans and projects for exported popcorn in proportion 
     to the amount of assessments collected on exported popcorn.
       (g) Prohibition on Use of Funds.--The order shall prohibit 
     any funds collected by the Board under the order from being 
     used to influence government action or policy, other than the 
     use of funds by the Board for the development and 
     recommendation to the Secretary of amendments to the order.
       (h) Books and Records of the Board.--The order shall 
     require the Board to--
       (1) maintain such books and records (which shall be 
     available to the Secretary for inspection and audit) as the 
     Secretary may prescribe;
       (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary, from time to time, 
     such reports as the Secretary may prescribe; and
       (3) account for the receipt and disbursement of all funds 
     entrusted to the Board.
       (i) Books and Records of Processors.--
       (1) Maintenance and reporting of information.--The order 
     shall require that each processor of popcorn for the market 
     shall--
       (A) maintain, and make available for inspection, such books 
     and records as are required by the order; and
       (B) file reports at such time, in such manner, and having 
     such content as is prescribed in the order.
       (2) Use of information.--The Secretary shall authorize the 
     use of information regarding processors that may be 
     accumulated under a law or regulation other than this Act or 
     a regulation issued under this Act. The information shall be 
     made available to the Secretary as appropriate for the 
     administration or enforcement of this Act, the order, or any 
     regulation issued under this Act.
       (3) Confidentiality.--
       (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraphs (B), (C), and 
     (D), all information obtained by the Secretary under 
     paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be kept confidential by all 
     officers, employees, and agents of the Board and the 
     Department.
       (B) Disclosure by secretary.--Information referred to in 
     subparagraph (A) may be disclosed if--
       (i) the Secretary considers the information relevant;
       (ii) the information is revealed in a suit or 
     administrative hearing brought at the request of the 
     Secretary, or to which the Secretary or any officer of the 
     United States is a party; and
       (iii) the information relates to the order. 

[[Page S 15341]]

       (C) Disclosure to other agency of federal government.--
       (i) In general.--No information obtained under the 
     authority of this Act may be made available to another agency 
     or officer of the Federal Government for any purpose other 
     than the implementation of this Act and any investigatory or 
     enforcement activity necessary for the implementation of this 
     Act.
       (ii) Penalty.--A person who violates this subparagraph 
     shall, on conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than 
     $1,000 or to imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both, 
     and if an officer, employee, or agent of the Board or the 
     Department, shall be removed from office or terminated from 
     employment, as applicable.
       (D) General statements.--Nothing in this paragraph 
     prohibits--
       (i) the issuance of general statements, based on the 
     reports, of the number of persons subject to the order or 
     statistical data collected from the reports, if the 
     statements do not identify the information provided by any 
     person; or
       (ii) the publication, by direction of the Secretary, of the 
     name of a person violating the order, together with a 
     statement of the particular provisions of the order violated 
     by the person.
       (j) Other Terms and Conditions.--The order shall contain 
     such terms and conditions, consistent with this Act, as are 
     necessary to effectuate this Act, including regulations 
     relating to the assessment of late payment charges.

     SEC. 6. REFERENDA.

       (a) Initial Referendum.--
       (1) In general.--Within the 60-day period immediately 
     preceding the effective date of an order, as provided in 
     section 4(b)(3), the Secretary shall conduct a referendum 
     among processors who, during a representative period as 
     determined by the Secretary, have been engaged in processing, 
     for the purpose of ascertaining whether the order shall go 
     into effect.
       (2) Approval of order.--The order shall become effective, 
     as provided in section 4(b), only if the Secretary determines 
     that the order has been approved by not less than a majority 
     of the processors voting in the referendum and if the 
     majority processed more than 50 percent of the popcorn 
     certified as having been processed, during the representative 
     period, by the processors voting.
       (b) Additional Referenda.--
       (1) In general.--Not earlier than 3 years after the 
     effective date of an order approved under subsection (a), on 
     the request of the Board or a representative group of 
     processors, as described in paragraph (2), the Secretary may 
     conduct an additional referendum to determine whether 
     processors favor the termination or suspension of the order.
       (2) Representative group of processors.--An additional 
     referendum on an order shall be conducted if the referendum 
     is requested by 40 percent or more of the number of 
     processors who, during a representative period as determined 
     by the Secretary, have been engaged in processing.
       (3) Disapproval of order.--If the Secretary determines, in 
     a referendum conducted under paragraph (1), that suspension 
     or termination of the order is favored by at least \2/3\ of 
     the processors voting in the referendum, the Secretary 
     shall--
       (A) suspend or terminate, as appropriate, collection of 
     assessments under the order not later than 180 days after the 
     date of determination; and
       (B) suspend or terminate the order, as appropriate, in an 
     orderly manner as soon as practicable after the date of 
     determination.
       (c) Costs of Referendum.--The Secretary shall be reimbursed 
     from assessments collected by the Board for any expenses 
     incurred by the Secretary in connection with the conduct of 
     any referendum under this section, except for the salaries of 
     Government employees associated with conducting a referendum.
       (d) Method of Conducting Referendum.--Subject to this 
     section, a referendum conducted under this section shall be 
     conducted in such manner as is determined by the Secretary.
       (e) Confidentiality of Ballots and Other Information.--
       (1) In general.--The ballots and other information or 
     reports that reveal or tend to reveal the vote of any 
     processor, or any business operation of a processor, shall be 
     considered to be strictly confidential and shall not be 
     disclosed.
       (2) Penalty for violations.--An officer or employee of the 
     Department who violates paragraph (1) shall be subject to the 
     penalties described in section 5(i)(3)(C)(ii).

     SEC. 7. PETITION AND REVIEW.

       (a) Petition.--
       (1) In general.--A person subject to an order may file with 
     the Secretary a petition--
       (A) stating that the order, a provision of the order, or an 
     obligation imposed in connection with the order is not 
     established in accordance with law; and
       (B) requesting a modification of the order or obligation or 
     an exemption from the order or obligation.
       (2) Hearings.--The petitioner shall be given the 
     opportunity for a hearing on a petition filed under paragraph 
     (1), in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary.
       (3) Ruling.--After a hearing under paragraph (2), the 
     Secretary shall issue a ruling on the petition that is the 
     subject of the hearing, which shall be final if the ruling is 
     in accordance with applicable law.
       (b) Review.--
       (1) Commencement of action.--The district court of the 
     United States for any district in which a person who is a 
     petitioner under subsection (a) resides or carries on 
     business shall have jurisdiction to review a ruling on the 
     petition, if the person files a complaint not later than 20 
     days after the date of issuance of the ruling under 
     subsection (a)(3).
       (2) Process.--Service of process in a proceeding under 
     paragraph (1) may be made on the Secretary by delivering a 
     copy of the complaint to the Secretary.
       (3) Remands.--If the court determines, under paragraph (1), 
     that a ruling issued under subsection (a)(3) is not in 
     accordance with applicable law, the court shall remand the 
     matter to the Secretary with directions--
       (A) to make such ruling as the court shall determine to be 
     in accordance with law; or
       (B) to take such further proceedings as, in the opinion of 
     the court, the law requires.
       (c) Enforcement.--The pendency of proceedings instituted 
     under subsection (a) may not impede, hinder, or delay the 
     Secretary or the Attorney General from taking action under 
     section 8.

     SEC. 8. ENFORCEMENT.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may issue an enforcement 
     order to restrain or prevent any person from violating an 
     order or regulation issued under this Act and may assess a 
     civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for each violation of 
     the enforcement order, after an opportunity for an 
     administrative hearing, if the Secretary determines that the 
     administration and enforcement of the order and this Act 
     would be adequately served by such a procedure.
       (b) Jurisdiction.--The district courts of the United States 
     are vested with jurisdiction specifically to enforce, and to 
     prevent and restrain any person from violating, an order or 
     regulation issued under this Act.
       (c) Referral to Attorney General.--A civil action 
     authorized to be brought under this section shall be referred 
     to the Attorney General for appropriate action.

     SEC. 9. INVESTIGATIONS AND POWER TO SUBPOENA.

       (a) Investigations.--The Secretary may make such 
     investigations as the Secretary considers necessary--
       (1) for the effective administration of this Act; and
       (2) to determine whether any person subject to this Act has 
     engaged, or is about to engage, in an act that constitutes or 
     will constitute a violation of this Act or of an order or 
     regulation issued under this Act.
       (b) Oaths, Affirmations, and Subpoenas.--For the purpose of 
     an investigation under subsection (a), the Secretary may 
     administer oaths and affirmations, subpoena witnesses, compel 
     the attendance of witnesses, take evidence, and require the 
     production of any records that are relevant to the inquiry. 
     The attendance of witnesses and the production of records may 
     be required from any place in the United States.
       (c) Aid of Courts.--
       (1) Request.--In the case of contumacy by, or refusal to 
     obey a subpoena issued to, any person, the Secretary may 
     request the aid of any court of the United States within the 
     jurisdiction of which the investigation or proceeding is 
     carried on, or where the person resides or carries on 
     business, in requiring the attendance and testimony of the 
     person and the production of records.
       (2) Enforcement order of the court.--The court may issue an 
     enforcement order requiring the person to appear before the 
     Secretary to produce records or to give testimony concerning 
     the matter under investigation.
       (3) Contempt.--A failure to obey an enforcement order of 
     the court under paragraph (2) may be punished by the court as 
     a contempt of the court.
       (4) Process.--Process in a case under this subsection may 
     be served in the judicial district in which the person 
     resides or conducts business or wherever the person may be 
     found.

     SEC. 10. RELATION TO OTHER PROGRAMS.

       Nothing in this Act preempts or supersedes any other 
     program relating to popcorn promotion organized and operated 
     under the laws of the United States or any State.

     SEC. 11. REGULATIONS.

       The Secretary may issue such regulations as are necessary 
     to carry out this Act.

     SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act. Amounts made available under 
     this section may not be used to pay any expense of the Board 
     in administering any provision of an order.
                                 ______