72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 3668
 
                        House Memorial 10
 
Sponsored by Representative G SMITH; Representatives BUTLER,
  GARRARD, GILMAN, JENSON, KRIEGER, MABREY, RICHARDSON, WESTLUND
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Encourages United States Secretary of Agriculture and other
federal officials to maintain closure of United States border to
importation of Canadian cattle and beef products until concerns
about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in Canada are eliminated.
 
                         HOUSE MEMORIAL
To the President of the United States, the Senate and the House
  of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress
  assembled, and the Honorable Ann M. Veneman, United States
  Secretary of Agriculture:
  We, your memorialists, the House of Representatives of the
Seventy-second Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, in
legislative session assembled, respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas the vitality and profitability of the cattle industry
in Oregon and the rest of the United States hinges on consumers'
confidence that they are purchasing safe beef products; and
  Whereas a significant amount of beef produced in the United
States is exported, assisting in the viability and profitability
of the cattle industry; and
  Whereas beef producers in the United States have been held to
extremely high standards; and
  Whereas federal and state animal disease detection and control
has created global consumer confidence that United States beef is
very safe for consumption; and
  Whereas Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy has been detected in
Canada, causing the United States Department of Agriculture to
close the United States border to the importation of Canadian
cattle and beef products; and
  Whereas other nations have stopped importing Canadian cattle
and beef products due to the detection of Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy in Canada; and
  Whereas many nations that import cattle and beef products from
the United States also import cattle and beef products from
Canada; and
  Whereas opening the United States border to the importation of
Canadian cattle and beef products before other nations eliminate
their concerns about Canadian Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
could greatly jeopardize United States cattle and beef product
exports; now, therefore,
 
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
  Oregon:
  (1) The members of the House of Representatives of the
Seventy-second Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon
encourage the United States Secretary of Agriculture and other
federal officials to refrain from opening the United States
border to the importation of Canadian cattle and beef products
until all other nations eliminate their concerns about Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy in Canada and are willing to accept
Canadian cattle and beef imports.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to:
  (a) The Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United
States;
  (b) The Honorable Richard Cheney, Vice President of the United
States and President of the United States Senate;
  (c) The Honorable Bill Frist, Majority Leader of the United
States Senate;
  (d) The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the United
States House of Representatives;
  (e) The Honorable Ann M. Veneman, United States Secretary of
Agriculture; and
  (f) The members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation,
including Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith and Representatives
David Wu, Greg Walden, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio and Darlene
Hooley.
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