[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 194 (Monday, November 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6715-S6716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNITED STATES GRAIN STANDARDS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2020
Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 484, S. 4054.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 4054) to reauthorize the United States Grain
Standards Act, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which was reported from the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry.
Mr. CORNYN. I ask unanimous consent that the Roberts amendment at the
desk be considered and agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be
considered read a third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 2686) was agreed to as follows
(Purpose: To modify an authorization of appropriations)
On page 5, strike lines 10 and 11 and insert the following:
(2) in subsection (a) (as so designated)--
(A) by striking ``such sums as are necessary'' and
inserting ``$23,000,000''; and
(B) by striking ``1988 through 2020'' and inserting ``2021
through 2025''; and
The bill (S. 4054), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading and was read the third time.
Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I know of no further debate on bill, as
amended.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. There being no further debate and the bill
having been read the third time, the question is, Shall the bill pass?
The bill (S. 4054), as amended, was passed, as follows
S. 4054
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States Grain
Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. NOTIFICATION OF DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICES BY STATE
AGENCIES.
Section 7 of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 79) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)(2)(C)(i), by inserting ``and affected
customers or applicants for service of official inspection or
weighing services provided by the State agency'' after
``notify the Secretary''; and
(2) in subsection (j)(5), in the first sentence, by
striking ``2020'' and inserting ``2025''.
SEC. 3. WEIGHING AUTHORITY.
Section 7A(l)(4) of the United States Grain Standards Act
(7 U.S.C. 79a(l)(4)) is amended in the first sentence by
striking ``2020'' and inserting ``2025''.
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY COSTS.
Section 7D of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 79d) is amended by striking ``2020'' and inserting
``2025''.
SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
Section 17B of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 87f-2) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Enhancement of Current Reporting.--
``(1) Increased frequency of inspection program data
reporting.--
``(A) In general.--Beginning not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall
publish quarterly reports describing data from the tests and
inspections for intrinsic quality factors (including protein,
oil, and starch) and food safety factors, as reported, in the
aggregate, for fiscal years 2014 through 2018 in the tables
in section V (relating to providing official grain inspection
and weighing services) of the 2016 through 2018 annual
reports to Congress by the Federal Grain Inspection Service.
[[Page S6716]]
``(B) Delineation.--The data from the tests and inspections
under subparagraph (A) shall be delineated to reflect whether
the tests and inspections were requested of or performed by--
``(i) the Secretary; or
``(ii) a State agency delegated authority under section 7
or 7A or an official agency.
``(2) Exceptions and waivers.--Beginning not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the
Secretary shall publish quarterly reports describing--
``(A) the number of exceptions requested under section
7(f)(2)(B);
``(B) the number of exceptions granted under section
7(f)(2)(B);
``(C) the number of waivers requested under section
5(a)(1); and
``(D) the number of waivers granted under section 5(a)(1).
``(e) Additional Reporting; Consultation.--The Secretary
may, to the extent determined appropriate by the Secretary,
in consultation with State agencies delegated authority under
sections 7 and 7A, official agencies, and the grain
industries described in the second sentence of section 21(a),
publish--
``(1) data relating to testing for other intrinsic quality
or food safety factors; and
``(2) other data collected from inspection and weighing
activities conducted under this Act.
``(f) Protection of Confidential Business Information.--Any
trade secrets or information described in section 552(b)(4)
of title 5, United States Code, that is provided to or
collected by the Secretary in carrying out subsection (d) or
(e) shall not be included in a report under subsection (d) or
(e) or otherwise publicly disclosed.''.
SEC. 6. APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 19 of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 87h) is amended--
(1) by striking the section heading and designation and all
that follows through ``There are hereby'' and inserting the
following:
``SEC. 19. FUNDING.
``(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are'';
(2) in subsection (a) (as so designated)--
(A) by striking ``such sums as are necessary'' and
inserting ``$23,000,000''; and
(B) by striking ``1988 through 2020'' and inserting ``2021
through 2025''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Limitations on Uses of User Fees.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Official inspection or weighing service.--The term
`official inspection or weighing service' means official
inspection, official weighing, supervision of weighing,
supervision of agency personnel, supervision of the field
office personnel of the Secretary, testing of equipment or
instruments, other services, or registration, the cost to the
Secretary of which is authorized to be covered by the
collection of a user fee pursuant to section 7, 7A, 7B, 16,
or 17A, as applicable.
``(B) User fee.--The term `user fee' means a fee collected
by the Secretary under section 7, 7A, 7B, 16, or 17A.
``(2) Requirement.--A user fee--
``(A) shall be used solely to cover--
``(i) the cost to the Secretary for carrying out official
inspection or weighing services; and
``(ii) administrative costs to the Secretary directly
relating to official inspection or weighing services; and
``(B) shall not be used for--
``(i) activities relating to the development or maintenance
of grain standards; or
``(ii) any other activity that is not directly related to
the performance of official inspection or weighing
services.''.
SEC. 7. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Section 21 of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 87j) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), in the last sentence, by striking
``successive terms'' and inserting ``successively for more
than 2 terms''; and
(2) in subsection (e), by striking ``2020'' and inserting
``2025''.
SEC. 8. REVIEW OF GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES FOR OFFICIAL
AGENCIES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Grain handling facility.--The term ``grain handling
facility'' means a grain elevator, warehouse, or other
storage or handling facility.
(2) Official agency geographic area.--The term ``official
agency geographic area'' means a geographic area for an
official agency, as defined by the Secretary under section
7(f)(2)(A) or 7A(i)(2)(A) of the United States Grain
Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 79(f)(2)(A), 79a(i)(2)(A)).
(3) United states grain standards act terms.--The terms
``grain'', ``official agency'', ``official inspection'',
``officially inspected'', ``official weighing'',
``supervision of weighing'', and ``Secretary'' have the
meanings given the terms in section 3 of the United States
Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 75).
(b) Review.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a
comprehensive nationwide review of the official agency
geographic areas.
(2) Considerations.--In conducting the review under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into consideration--
(A) the number of grain handling facilities, both within
the official agency geographic areas and in areas that are
not official agency geographic areas, that currently use, or,
during the 5-year period preceding the date of submission of
the report under subsection (c), received service from, an
official agency that provides official inspection, official
weighing, supervision of weighing, or other services under
the United States Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.);
(B) the volume of grain for which official agencies provide
services at grain handling facilities within the official
agency geographic areas;
(C) the number of official inspections of vessels and other
carriers within the official agency geographic areas;
(D) other related services performed by official agencies
at grain handling facilities within the official agency
geographic areas;
(E) the timeliness, accuracy, and appropriateness of
services performed by official agencies at grain handling
facilities within the official agency geographic areas;
(F) fees charged by official agencies for services
performed under the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 71 et seq.), including grading, weighing, sampling,
stowage examination, and certification; and
(G) any implications of modifications to the official
agency geographic areas on enhancing official inspection,
official weighing, and supervision of weighing in the
domestic market.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
Senate a report containing--
(1) the results of the review completed under subsection
(b); and
(2) any recommendations with respect to those results that
the Secretary determines appropriate.
SEC. 9. TECHNICAL CORRECTION.
Section 4(a)(1) of the United States Grain Standards Act (7
U.S.C. 76(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``soybeans mixed''
and inserting ``soybeans, mixed''.
Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________