[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CHAMBLISS (for himself and Mr. Roberts):
  S. 1582. A bill to reauthorize the United States Grain Standards Act, 
to facilitate the official inspection at export port locations of grain 
required or authorized to be inspected under such Act, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, today I introduce legislation to 
reauthorize the U.S. Grain Standards Act, which expires September 30, 
2005.
  The Secretary of Agriculture was granted authority by Congress to 
establish grain standards in 1916. Sixty years later, Congress 
authorized the Federal Grain Inspection Service in order to ensure the 
development and maintenance of uniform U.S. standards, to develop 
inspection and weighing procedures for grain in domestic and export 
trade, and to facilitate grain marketing. The U.S. grain inspection 
system is recognized worldwide for its accuracy and reliability.
  On May 25, 2005, the Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review 
the reauthorization of the Act during which the industry expressed its 
desire to provide authority to the United States Department of 
Agriculture, USDA, to utilize third-party entities at export terminals. 
Inspections at these terminals are currently conducted by Federal 
inspectors or employees of State Departments of Agriculture. Industry 
proposes, and commodity groups support, granting USDA the authority to 
utilize third-party entities at U.S. export terminals in order to 
improve competitiveness of U.S. agriculture worldwide.
  Congress has a unique opportunity to provide this authority to USDA, 
and I have included the industry's proposal in this legislation. USDA 
estimates that by 2009, 75 percent of Federal grain inspectors will be 
eligible for retirement. The short-term staffing situation facing USDA 
should ease the Department's transition in delivering inspection and 
weighing services at export terminals.
  In addition to providing USDA the authority to use third-party 
entities at export terminal locations, this 5-year reauthorization bill 
that I am introducing contains measures to ensure the integrity of the 
Federal grain inspection system. The bill clearly states that official 
inspections continue to be the direct responsibility of USDA. USDA will 
also have the ability to issue rules and regulations to further enhance 
the work and supervision of these entities. The ability of the U.S. to 
increase long-term competitiveness coupled with a system that can 
maintain its strong reputation worldwide certainly holds great 
potential for success.
  This bill is identical to the reauthorization bill recently 
considered and approved unanimously by the Committee on Agriculture in 
the House of Representatives. It is my hope that this measure will 
garner equivalent support in this body as reauthorization of the U.S. 
Grain Standards Act moves forward.
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