COOL Repeal Poised to Slip Through Senate Highway Debate
Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, floated an amendment in recent days on the Senate’s six-year highway and transportation funding legislation to repeal country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat products. That measure is one of nearly 300 amendments filed on the…
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legislation, HR-22. The Senate is set to vote to approve that underlying legislation on July 30, but COOL repeal likely won’t get a vote before then. In filing the amendment, Roberts said Congress must face the urgent need to stave off Canadian and Mexican retaliatory tariffs. "Whether you support or oppose COOL, the fact is retaliation is coming," said Roberts (here). “We can continue to discuss voluntary labeling programs similar to those already in the marketplace – once COOL is repealed.” Senate Agriculture ranking member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., introduced the voluntary alternative on July 23 (see 1507240019), the same day Roberts floated the amendment. Local U.S. agriculture producers and unions recently urged lawmakers to keep the complete COOL regime in place (see 1507280038). The U.S. contested Canadian damage claims in June, and the WTO adjudication process continues to unfold (see 1506190023).