[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 157 (Monday, September 13, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. Tester, Mr. Rounds, and Mr.
Booker):
S. 2716. A bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to
establish country of origin labeling requirements for beef, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
S. 2716
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 ``American Beef Labeling Act
of 2021''.
SEC. 2. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING FOR BEEF.
(a) Definitions.--Section 281 of the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1638) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (7) as
paragraphs (2) through (8), respectively;
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated)
the following:
``(1) Beef.--The term `beef' means meat produced from
cattle (including veal).''; and
(3) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) (as so
redesignated)--
(A) in clause (i), by inserting ``, beef,'' after ``lamb'';
and
(B) in clause (ii), by inserting ``, ground beef,'' after
``lamb''.
(b) Notice of Country of Origin.--Section 282(a)(2) of the
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1638a(a)(2)) is
amended--
(1) in the paragraph heading, by inserting ``beef,'' after
``for'';
(2) in each of subparagraphs (A) through (D), by inserting
``beef,'' before ``lamb'' each place it appears; and
(3) in subparagraph (E)--
(A) in the subparagraph heading, by inserting ``beef,''
after ``Ground''; and
(B) by inserting ``ground beef,'' before ``ground lamb''
each place it appears.
(c) Means of Reinstating MCOOL for Beef.--
(1) Determination of means.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the United States Trade
Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of
Agriculture, shall determine a means of reinstating mandatory
country of origin labeling for beef in accordance with the
amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) that is in
compliance with all applicable rules of the World Trade
Organization.
(2) Implementation of means.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this Act, the United States Trade
Representative and the Secretary of Agriculture shall
implement the means determined under paragraph (1).
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a)
and (b) take effect on the earlier of--
(1) the date on which the Secretary of Agriculture
publishes a determination in the Federal Register that the
means determined under paragraph (1) of subsection (c) have
been implemented under paragraph (2) of that subsection; and
(2) the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act.
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