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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 429 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 429

 Recognizing the importance of the United States wine industry to the 
                           American economy.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 2008

Mr. Conaway (for himself, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. 
   Bilbray, Mr. Boustany, Mr. Brown of South Carolina, Mr. Burton of 
   Indiana, Mr. Carter, Mr. Culberson, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Feeney, Mr. 
  Gohmert, Ms. Granger, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Mr. Hensarling, Ms. 
 Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. Kuhl of New York, 
     Mr. Lucas, Mr. McCarthy of California, Mr. Gary G. Miller of 
    California, Mr. Nunes, Mr. Paul, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. Sessions, Mr. 
   Shuster, Mr. Terry, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. 
 Barton of Texas, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Brady of Texas, Mr. Burgess, Mr. 
Calvert, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, Mr. Edwards of Texas, Mr. 
 Gonzalez, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Hall of Texas, Mr. Hinojosa, Ms. 
Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Keller of Florida, Mr. Lampson, Mr. 
Marchant, Mr. McCaul of Texas, Mr. Neugebauer, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Poe, Mr. 
Reyes, Mr. Roskam, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Thornberry, Mr. 
 Walberg, and Mr. Young of Alaska) submitted the following concurrent 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
                           Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
 Recognizing the importance of the United States wine industry to the 
                           American economy.

Whereas the United States is one of the largest wine producing countries in the 
        world, with the United States wine, grape, and grape products industry 
        representing more than 1 percent of the $13,800,000,000 American economy 
        in 2007;
Whereas the wine and winegrape industry of Texas has an economic impact of 
        $1,000,000,000 on the economy of Texas;
Whereas since 2000, the wine and winegrape industry of Texas has experienced 
        tremendous growth, with nearly 90 percent of that growth resulting from 
        an increase in the number and revenue of small wineries producing less 
        than 5,000 gallons of wine each year; and
Whereas in 2005, the wine and winegrape industry of Texas--

    (1) included 113 wineries and 220 commercial growers of winegrapes on 
2,900 acres;

    (2) produced over 626,000 cases of wine;

    (3) provided the equivalent of 8,000 full-time jobs and paid over 
$234,000,000 in wages to workers;

    (4) generated revenue from wineries that produced an economic impact of 
$91,500,000 on the economy of Texas;

    (5) generated over $10,000,000 in revenue from vineyards in Texas;

    (6) attracted over 868,000 tourists to Texas, who spent over 
$220,000,000; and

    (7) generated over $69,000,000 in Federal, State, and local taxes: Now, 
therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the importance of the United States wine, 
        winegrape, and grape products industry to the American economy; 
        and
            (2) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy 
        of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Texas Department 
        of Agriculture and the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association 
        in Grapevine, Texas.
                                 <all>
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