[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 25, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 649--RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICAN 
               VITICULTURAL AREAS AND WINEGROWING REGIONS

  Mr. BLUNT (for himself, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 649

       Whereas wineries and vintners in the United States 
     contribute to the economic and cultural life of the United 
     States;
       Whereas the economic contributions of wineries and vintners 
     in the United States are significant and expansive, and are 
     attributable to the activities of growers, suppliers, 
     researchers, marketers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, 
     and others;
       Whereas the wine industry in the United States is estimated 
     to have directly and indirectly generated more than 
     $219,000,000,000 for the economy of the United States in 
     2017;
       Whereas there are more than 10,000 wineries operating in 
     all 50 States;
       Whereas many of those wineries are small businesses and 
     family owned;
       Whereas the wine industry directly employs nearly 1,000,000 
     people in the United States and supports nearly 300,000 jobs 
     in industries that supply goods and services to winegrowers 
     and wineries;
       Whereas the wages earned by people directly employed by 
     wineries and the wine industry totaled more than 
     $33,000,000,000 in 2017;
       Whereas wineries and wine regions drive economic activity 
     through the production, distribution, and sale of wine, and 
     attract substantial tourism-related interest and spending;
       Whereas wine regions in the United States host more than 
     43,000,000 tourists and generate nearly $18,000,000,000 in 
     tourism expenditures each year;
       Whereas wine tourism supported 375,000 jobs that paid more 
     than $10,000,000,000 in wages in 2017;
       Whereas an American Viticultural Area (referred to in this 
     preamble as an ``AVA'') is a designated wine-growing region 
     in the United States that has distinguishing features that 
     affect viticulture, including climate, geology, soil, 
     physical features, and elevation;
       Whereas 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the publication 
     of the Decision of the Department of the Treasury to 
     establish the AVA designation system;
       Whereas the first AVA was approved on June 20, 1980, in 
     Augusta, Missouri;
       Whereas the State of Missouri--
       (1) has a history of wine production that dates back to the 
     first half of the 19th century; and
       (2) is part of 5 AVAs, including the Hermann, Loess Hills 
     District, Ozark Highlands, and Ozark Mountain areas;
       Whereas the first AVA in the State of Oregon was approved 
     on December 1, 1983, as the Willamette Valley AVA;
       Whereas the State of Oregon--
       (1) has a history of growing wine grapes that dates back to 
     1847; and
       (2) is part of the following 18 AVAs: the Applegate Valley, 
     Chehalem Mountains, Columbia Gorge, Columbia Valley, Dundee 
     Hills, Elkton Oregon, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Red Hill 
     Douglas County, Ribbon Ridge, the Rocks District of Milton-
     Freewater, Rogue Valley, Snake River Valley, Southern Oregon, 
     Umpqua Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Willamette Valley, and 
     Yamhill-Carlton District areas;
       Whereas, as of August 15, 2018, there are 242 AVAs in the 
     United States, which are located in the following 33 States: 
     Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, 
     Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, 
     Missouri, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, 
     Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North 
     Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 
     Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and 
     Wisconsin;
       Whereas at least 85 percent of a wine must be derived from 
     grapes grown within the boundaries of an AVA in order to use 
     the AVA name on the label for that wine;
       Whereas an AVA designation--
       (1) allows vintners to describe more accurately the origin 
     of the wine;
       (2) helps vintners build and enhance the reputation and 
     value of the wine produced;
       (3) allows consumers to attribute a given quality, 
     reputation, or other characteristic to a wine made from 
     grapes grown in an AVA; and
       (4) helps consumers identify wines to purchase;
       Whereas an appellation of origin, such as an AVA 
     designation, can assist wine producers in the United States 
     in establishing distinctive names of places in the United 
     States in global markets and create valuable export 
     opportunities;
       Whereas wine exports generated more than $1,600,000,000 for 
     producers in the United States in 2017, which is a 4-fold 
     increase over the past 20 years;
       Whereas the protection of an AVA term, or other appellation 
     of origin, in a foreign country helps vintners effectively 
     promote products and increases awareness of the region of 
     origin;
       Whereas the wine industry of the United States is growing 
     and accounts for 10 percent of global wine production;
       Whereas wine-growing regions and wine growers in the United 
     States--
       (1) contribute to the economic prosperity of the United 
     States; and
       (2) enhance the cultural prestige of the United States by 
     developing and sharing wines that are recognized throughout 
     the world;
       Whereas consumers in the United States have benefitted from 
     the rich diversity and extraordinary quality of wines and 
     wine-growing regions in the United States; and
       Whereas responsibly enjoying wine often serves to enhance 
     the richness of life and brings family and friends closer 
     together: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the significant contributions made by wines 
     and distinctive wine-growing regions in the United States to 
     the economic and cultural life of the United States;
       (2) recognizes the value created in domestic and foreign 
     markets by promoting wines from distinctive wine-growing 
     regions in the United States, including wines protected by an 
     American Viticultural Area designation or other appellation 
     of origin; and
       (3) supports efforts to promote awareness of and 
     appreciation for distinctive wine-growing regions in the 
     United States both in the United States and abroad.

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