[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 137 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H9502-H9503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPORT APPLE ACT
Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4148) to amend the Export Apple and Pear Act to limit the
applicability of the Act to apples.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4148
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SCOPE OF EXPORT APPLE AND PEAR ACT.
(a) Short Title.--The Act of June 10, 1933 (7 U.S.C. 581 et
seq.; commonly known as the Export Apple and Pear Act), is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 11. This Act may be cited as the `Export Apple
Act'.''.
(b) Definition of Apples.--Section 9 of such Act (7 U.S.C.
589) is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the
following new paragraph:
``(4) The term `apples' means fresh whole apples, whether
or not the apples have been in storage.''.
(c) Elimination of References to Pears.--Such Act is
further amended--
(1) by striking ``and/or pears'' each place it appears in
the first section and sections 5 and 6; and
(2) by striking ``or pears'' each place it appears in the
first section and sections 2, 3, and 4.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Ewing) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing).
Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4148, a bill that amends the
Export Apple and Pear Act to exclude pears from this act. This is being
done because farmers producing pears for export advise us that this
action will benefit the industry's effort to increase exports of pears.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture advised the
Committee on Agriculture that mandatory Federal quality standards are
no longer needed to assure the high quality of exported pears. USDA
believes that the U.S.
[[Page H9503]]
pear industry needs greater flexibility than the act currently allows
in order to respond to international markets. This bill will help the
pear industry achieve increased exports and essential goals for all
farmers in the U.S.
Mr. Speaker, this 65 year old law was originally intended to protect
the reputation of U.S. apples and pears in foreign markets by requiring
inspection and certification prior to export. Now, however, pear
exporters find that the act is more of a hinderance than an asset for
their exports. They wish to be able to export to all the markets
willing to purchase U.S. pears. H.R. 4148 will allow U.S. farmers to
increase pear exports.
Mr. Speaker, USDA supports enactment of H.R. 4148 and advises the
committee that enactment of H.R. 4148 would not result in increased
outlays. CBO estimates that there are no costs to H.R. 4148.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4148.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4148 which updates the Apple
and Pear Export Act. For many years, as the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Ewing) has explained, the act has served the very beneficial use
for the two industries, but tonight the pear industry asked to be
relieved from coming under that bill. The effect is to eliminate an
outdated requirement for a law that worked well for many years but is
now hindering further development for markets for U.S. pears.
The pear industry now believes that market opportunities will be
enhanced by greater flexibility. For example, last year the sale of
200,000 cartons of pears to Russia was made possible by a January 1997
amendment to the act that allowed for the shipment of a more
competitive grade of pears to that country. This bill gives greater
control to the pear industry just as the Russian government has begun
to privatize its economy.
Our farmers are increasingly dependent on foreign markets. It is,
therefore, essential that the regulations they operate under are
designed to help them compete in these markets.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this regulatory
improvement which will provide our pear producers with much greater
flexibility.
Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4148, a
bill to amend the Export Apple and Pear Act. The Export Apple and Pear
Act, enacted on June 10, 1933, requires that apples and pears meet
certain standards prior to export in order to ensure only high quality
U.S. fruit moves in foreign commerce.
Pears exported from the United States are grown almost exclusively in
Oregon, California and Washington and the pear organizations in these
states support this bill. U.S. pear producers and shippers recommended
that pears should be dropped from the Act so that they can increase the
volume of pear exports.
H.R. 4148 eliminates pears from the Act, thereby allowing U.S.
exporters greater flexibility in the changing international marketplace
and the opportunity to increase exports. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) believes that mandatory federal quality standards
for pears are no longer needed to assure the high quality of exported
pears.
USDA supports enactment of H.R. 4148 and advises the Committee that
enactment of H.R. 4148 would not result in increased outlays.
CBO estimates there is no cost to H.R. 4148.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4148.
Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I, too, yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4148.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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