[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 16, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S7136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BURNS:
  S. 1229. A bill to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act to permit a State to register a foreign pesticide for 
distribution and use within that State; to the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today as a proud sponsor of this 
pesticide harmonization legislation. As many of you are aware, there 
are a number of trade imbalances facing the agricultural industry.
  In my home State of Montana and many other western and mid-western 
states, trade imbalances occur primarily between Canada and the United 
States. However, disparities occur between the United States and many 
foreign countries.
  One of those trade imbalances is pesticide harmonization, which is a 
serious issue for American farmers. There are numerous disparities 
between chemicals and pesticides that are allowed in foreign countries 
and those that are allowed here in the United States.
  In many cases a chemical will have the identical chemical structure 
in both countries but be named and priced differently. Why should an 
American producer be expected to pay twice the amount for an identical 
chemical available in a foreign country for less?
  In order for free trade to truly occur, this issue must be addressed. 
Farmers have dealt with several years of depressed prices with no 
immediate end in sight. To compound the economic crunch American 
farmers are feeling, American agricultural producers must pay nearly 
twice the amount that foreign producers pay in their country for nearly 
the same chemical.
  This leads to a huge disparity between the break-even price on crop 
production between foreign and American farmers, and gives foreign 
producers an unfair advantage. It is unfair for American producers to 
pay twice the amount for pesticides and chemicals as many of our 
trading partners.
  Furthermore, it is against the law for American producers to purchase 
an identical chemical in a foreign country and bring it across the 
border. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be held 
accountable to American producers and assure that producers have the 
same advantages in this country in regards to pesticides and chemicals 
that foreign producers enjoy.
  My bill assures that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will 
be held accountable to domestic agricultural producers. Primarily, it 
mandates that the EPA give mutual recognition to the same chemical 
structures, on both existing and new products, in the United States and 
competing foreign countries.
  It does this by several provisions. First, it permits any 
agricultural individual or group, within a state, to put forth a 
request through the State Ag Commissioner (Head of the Department of 
Agriculture) to the EPA to register chemicals with substantially 
similar make-up to those registered in a foreign country.
  Within 60 days of receiving that request the EPA would be held 
responsible to either accept or deny that request. They must then give 
the same recognition to American producers for chemical structures that 
are substantially similar to cheaper products available in competing 
foreign countries.
  Additionally, my bill will ensure that the Administrator of the EPA 
will take into account both NAFTA and the Canada/U.S. Trade Agreement, 
in making these determinations.
  These provisions will level the pricing structure by making sure that 
chemicals with the same (or substantially similar) structures are 
priced fairly in the United States.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on this important issue 
to American farmers and ranchers.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
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