I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2577

To amend the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information

Act to reinstate the right of soybean producers to demand and receive

refunds of assessments imposed on producers under the Act, to require

a referendum on termination of the soybean research and promotion

order issued under the Act, and to require additional referendums at

the request of a simple majority of soybean producers.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 2, 1995

Mr. EWING (for himself and Mr. LAHOOD) introduced the following bill; which

was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer

Information Act to reinstate the right of soybean producers to demand and receive refunds of assessments imposed on producers under the Act, to require a referendum on termination of the soybean research and promotion order issued under the Act, and to require additional referendums at the request of a simple majority

of soybean producers.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. REINSTATEMENT OF REFUNDS.

2 (a) REFUNDS.—Section 1969(l)(2)(F) of the Soy3 bean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information

4 Act (7 U.S.C. 6304(l)(2)(F)) is amended by adding at the

5 end the following new clause:

6 ‘‘(viii) REINSTATEMENT OF RE7 FUNDS.—Notwithstanding clause (ii) or

8 the results of the poll conducted under

9 clause (iii), effective October 1, 1995, the

10 qualified State soybean board and, where

11 no qualified State soybean board exists,

12 the Board shall make refunds available to

13 soybean producers at the end of each fiscal

14 year from escrowed funds, as provided for

15 in clause (vii).’’.

16 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Clause (vii) of

17 such section is amended—

18 (1) in subclause (I), by striking ‘‘clause (ii)’’

19 and inserting ‘‘clauses (ii) and (viii);

20 (2) in subclause (II), by striking ‘‘and (vi)’’ and

21 inserting ‘‘(vi), and (viii)’’;

22 (3) in subclause (III), by striking ‘‘or (vi)’’ and

23 inserting ‘‘(vi), or (viii)’’;

24 (4) in subclause (IV), by striking ‘‘clause (ii)’’

25 and inserting ‘‘clause (ii) or (viii); and
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1 (5) in subclause (V), by striking ‘‘and (vi)’’ and

2 inserting ‘‘(vi), and (viii)’’.

3 SEC. 2. REFERENDUM ON TERMINATION OF ORDER AND

4 RELIANCE ON SIMPLE MAJORITY OF SOY5 BEAN PRODUCERS IN REQUESTS FOR REF6 ERENDUMS.

7 (a) REFERENDUM ON TERMINATION OF ORDER.—

8 Subsection (b) of section 1970 of the Soybean Promotion,

9 Research, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 6305)

10 is amended by adding at the end the following new para11 graph:

12 ‘‘(4) TERMINATION REFERENDUM.—Not later

13 than September 30, 1999, the Secretary of Agri14 culture shall conduct a referendum among producers

15 who, during a representative period as determined

16 by the Secretary, have been engaged in the produc17 tion of soybeans for the purpose of determining

18 whether the order then in effect, if any, shall be con19 tinued. The Secretary shall conduct the referendum

20 in the manner provided in subsection (a).’’.

21 (b) REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL REFERENDA.—

22 Such subsection is further amended in paragraph (1)(B)

23 by striking ‘‘, of which group of requesting producers not
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1 in excess of one-fifth may be producers in any one State,

2 as determined by the Secretary’’.

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