[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 21, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S6846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MAD COW DISEASE

  Mr. DORGAN. This morning's newspaper has a story on the front page 
that says: ``Canada Finds `Mad Cow'; U.S. Bans Beef Imports.''
  On behalf of the beef industry in this country and consumers in this 
country, this begs a very important question. If Canada found a cow, 
one cow, in the month of January, that was headed toward a 
slaughterhouse and subsequently killed, that now 4 months later they 
say was infected with mad cow disease, the question is, Why does it 
take 4 months to learn that a cow killed in January had mad cow 
disease?
  There are two possible reasons, it seems to me. One, there is a 
system by which they sent the head of this animal to England to have it 
tested and somehow it took 4 months to test it and to tell the people 
in this country and Canada there was a cow with mad cow disease killed 
in January. Four months is absurd. If that is the case, something is 
horribly wrong. Or, second, they discovered earlier than 4 months and 
did not disclose it.
  I don't know which, but the Secretary of Agriculture has imposed a 
moratorium on further shipments of beef into this country from Canada. 
That makes good sense. I support her decision. We ship into this 
country from Canada 1 million head of cattle and 1 billion pounds of 
beef. The Secretary of Agriculture is perfectly right in saying let's 
suspend those shipments at this point. I want her to investigate, and I 
am sure they will find the answer to the question, Why did it take 4 
months to learn that a cow in Canada killed in January was infected 
with mad cow disease? That, in my judgment, is a threat to the beef 
industry in this country, a threat to consumers everywhere.
  There are one of two explanations, neither of which, in my judgment, 
is a good explanation. We need to get to the bottom of it on behalf of 
our beef industry and on behalf of our consumers.
  This is not a pretty story. I don't know what the impact of this will 
be, but as I read this and as I understand the facts, questions need to 
be answered, and soon. I believe the Secretary of Agriculture will 
pursue this matter. She says she sent some people to Canada to 
investigate. We demand answers. We deserve answers, the consumers and 
the beef industry.

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