II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2884 

To delay the implementation of a rule relating to the importation of sheep 

and goats and products derived from sheep and goats, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 

Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Ms. LUMMIS, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. CRAMER, and 

Mr. ROUNDS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

A BILL 

To delay the implementation of a rule relating to the importation of sheep and goats and products derived from 

sheep and goats, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION OF RULE RELAT4 ING TO IMPORTATION OF SHEEP AND GOATS 

5 AND PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM SHEEP AND 

6 GOATS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—During the period beginning on 

8 the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on the 

9 date that is 1 year after the date on which the report is 


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1 submitted under subsection (b), the Secretary of Agri2 culture, and any other Federal official, may not finalize, 

3 implement, administer, or enforce the proposed rule enti4 tled ‘‘Importation of Sheep, Goats, and Certain Other 

5 Ruminants’’ (81 Fed. Reg. 46619) and dated July 18, 

6 2016. 

7 (b) STUDY AND REPORT.— 

8 (1) STUDY.— 

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agri10 culture shall conduct a study on the potential 

11 costs and benefits of the rule referred to in sub12 section (a). 

13 (B) CONTENTS.—The study required by 

14 subparagraph (A) shall assess— 

15 (i) the estimated amount of sheep and 

16 goat meat imported into the United States 

17 as a result of the implementation of the 

18 rule referred to in subsection (a); 

19 (ii) the estimated increase in the num20 ber of live sheep and goats imported into 

21 the United States as a result of the rule; 

22 (iii) the estimated demand for sheep 

23 and goat meat in the United States during 

24 the 10-year period beginning on the date 


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1 of the enactment of this Act, disaggregated 

2 by region and State; 

3 (iv) the impact of the COVID–19 pan4 demic on the economic data and market 

5 conditions for imports of sheep and goat 

6 meat and live sheep and goats; 

7 (v) the potential effects of the rule 

8 on— 

9 (I) the supply and prices of live 

10 sheep and goats in the United States; 

11 (II) producers of and markets for 

12 live sheep and goats in the United 

13 States, disaggregated by region and 

14 State; 

15 (III) export opportunities for 

16 United States producers of sheep and 

17 goat meat; 

18 (IV) the competitiveness of the 

19 sheep and goat industries in the 

20 United States; 

21 (V) consumer confidence in sheep 

22 and goat meat; 

23 (VI) the health of sheep and goat 

24 herds in the United States; and 


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1 (VII) disease outbreaks across 

2 species of animals; 

3 (vi) the estimated amount of direct 

4 payments made by foreign countries to 

5 producers of live sheep and goats in such 

6 countries as a result of the implementation 

7 of the rule referred to in subsection (a); 

8 and 

9 (vii) any negative impacts that could 

10 result from the implementation of the rule 

11 referred to in subsection (a) not covered by 

12 clauses (i) through (vi). 

13 (2) REPORT.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 

15 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

16 Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the 

17 committees specified in subparagraph (B) a re18 port that includes— 

19 (i) an analysis of the results of the 

20 study conducted under paragraph (1); and 

21 (ii) recommendations for changes to 

22 the rule referred to in subsection (a) to 

23 eliminate or mitigate any negative effects 

24 of the implementation of the rule. 


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1 (B) COMMITTEES SPECIFIED.—The com2 mittees specified in this subparagraph are— 

3 (i) the Committee on Agriculture, Nu4 trition, and Forestry, the Committee on 

5 Foreign Relations, the Committee on Fi6 nance, and the Committee on Homeland 

7 Security and Governmental Affairs of the 

8 Senate; and 

9 (ii) the Committee on Agriculture, the 

10 Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the 

11 Committee on Oversight and Reform of the 

12 House of Representatives. 

Æ 


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