[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9139-9140]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, my thanks to Chairman Conaway and the 
Agriculture Committee for their prompt, bipartisan response to the 
recent WTO ruling against country of origin labeling.
  Since 2009, Canada and Mexico argued that our country of origin 
labeling policy distorts trade across our borders and increases the 
cost of meat and poultry. In the U.S., we had hoped for a favorable 
ruling from the WTO, but their rulings and appeals have all been 
against us. Today, it is time to act to address the problems posed by 
COOL and prevent the retaliation from our friends in Canada and Mexico.
  If not addressed, Canada and Mexico have threatened $3.6 billion in 
trade retaliation. This would be a major blow

[[Page 9140]]

to pork and beef producers in my district; but it is not just livestock 
producers that would feel the pain. Threatened retaliation would also 
impact the corn growers in my district, one of the most productive corn 
growing districts in the Nation, and candy makers like Hershey and Mars 
that have plants in my district.
  Again, I am grateful to Chairman Conaway and his attention to this 
issue and his prompt response to the WTO's ruling. I support this bill 
to repeal COOL and end the years of uncertainty faced by our farmers, 
ranchers, and so many others and urge my colleagues to do the same.

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