[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 26 (Friday, February 12, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1650-S1651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 11--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS WITH
RESPECT TO THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AMENDMENTS MADE
BY FOOD QUALITY PROTECTION ACT OF 1996
Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. Conrad, Mr. brownback, Mr. Frist, Mr.
Gramm, Mr. Hutchinson, Mrs. Hutchison, and Ms. Landrieu): submitted the
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry:
S. Con. Res. 11
Whereas the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (Public Law
104-170; 110 Stat. 1489) was enacted with unanimous
congressional approval and with the assistance and leadership
of a broad coalition of agricultural, industry, and public
interest groups;
Whereas the amendments made by that Act are intended to be
an important tool in protecting public health, particularly
the health and well-being of the most valuable resource of
the United States, the children of the United States;
Whereas it is critical that the amendments made by that Act
be implemented in a way that accomplishes the intent of
Congress while maintaining an abundant, affordable, and safe
food supply for the United States, ensuring urban pest
control, and not unfairly providing competitive advantages to
foreign food suppliers over domestic producers;
Whereas the amendments made by that Act require the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
develop risk assessment methodologies that are based on
reliable information and to undertake a massive review of all
approved pesticide tolerances;
Whereas on August 4, 1997, the Administrator published a
schedule for reassessment of more than 3,000 tolerances by
August 3, 1999, that could include certain classes of
products that are extensively used;
Whereas the sudden loss of uses and products could both
economically cripple a host of agricultural commodities,
including corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cotton, and dozens of
fruit and vegetable crops and create a public health threat
to the urban environment from the unchecked infestation of
insects; and
Whereas it is critical that the amendments made by that Act
be implemented in a fair and equitable manner, and that the
protections be implemented while maintaining an abundant,
affordable, and safe food supply for the United States: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency and the Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that
the implementation of the amendments made by the Food Quality
Protection Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-170; 110 Stat. 1489)--
(A) be based on sound science that protects public health;
(B) include transparent processes with full disclosure of
decisions and be subject to peer and public review;
(C) provide for a reasonable transition for agriculture;
and
(D) require consultation with the public and other
agencies;
(2) the development of risk assessment methodologies,
guidelines, and protocols for collection of data under the
amendments made by that Act be based on sound science and not
default assumptions in the absence of reliable data;
(3) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency should devote sufficient resources to register new
pesticide products and uses to provide effective substitutes
for pesticides that may be considered high risk under the
amendments made by that Act; and
(4) the Administrator should establish ongoing means for
input regarding the implementation decisions of the
Administrator with respect to that Act from producers,
pesticide users, registrants, environmental and public health
groups, consumers, State and local agencies, tribal
governments, Members of Congress, and appropriate Federal
agencies.
Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I submit a Senate Concurrent
Resolution which addresses the controversy surrounding the Food Quality
Protection Act. I am pleased to be joined today by my colleagues,
Senators Conrad, Brownback, Hutchison, Frist, Gramm of Texas, Landrieu,
and Hutchinson who are original cosponsors of the resolution.
The Food Quality Protection Act directs the EPA to base its tolerance
review decisions pertaining to pesticides on reliable data that is
currently available. Or, the EPA can require the development of new
data through the data call-in provisions of the Food Quality Protection
Act.
In order to meet the review deadlines, the EPA is basing some
critical decisions on assumptions, which are primarily EPA's
preliminary findings. This could lead to needless and questionable
product cancellations, and have a significant impact on the
agricultural industry.
It is essential that the EPA's insect tolerance assessment process be
based
[[Page S1651]]
on sound scientific data. If the EPA's current approach to pesticide
risk assessments is not modified, it is likely that many uses of crop
protection products will be unjustifiably terminated. The sudden
adoption of new restrictions of certain pesticide applications and
products could needlessly cripple a host of agricultural commodities,
including corn; soybeans; wheat; rice; cotton; and dozens of fruit and
vegetable crops. It could also add a public health threat to the urban
environment from mosquitos, cockroaches, and termites that might go
unchecked. American farmers, ranchers, and consumers will feel the
unnecessary and avoidable repercussions of the EPA's actions.
We all know pesticide use must be closely monitored and some
pesticides need to be replaced. The protection of the environment must
always be foremost in our minds. But, common sense and real science
must be involved in this matter so that all parties will benefit.
Certain pesticides that warrant replacement or removal must have
suitable, affordable, and effective replacements. And, any changes must
be made in a sufficient time frame to allow producers to learn the safe
use of the new products as they transition away from old dated
products.
Also, the current Food Quality Protection Act puts the United States
at a distinct disadvantage in the global marketplace. Other countries
do not have the same requirements that our producers have, but we still
import and consume their products. We need to offer every advantage to
our producers and safeguard consumers instead of providing other
countries an upper hand in the world's agricultural market.
To address this issue, the resolution I introduce today expresses the
sense and intent of Congress for the fair and equitable implementation
of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. The resolution calls on the
EPA Administrator and the Secretary of Agriculture to use sound science
to protect the public health while effectively administering the Food
Quality Protection Act.
Some important organizations have endorsed my resolution, including
the Colorado Farm Bureau and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.
We must modify the enforcement mechanisms in the Food Quality
Protection Act to ensure the act is properly implemented, so that it
can help, not hurt the people and our environment it was intended to
protect. The resolution I submit today will help accomplish this goal,
and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.
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