III

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 11

Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the fair and equitable

implementation of the amendments made by the Food Quality Protection

Act of 1996.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 12, 1999

Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. FRIST, Mr.

GRAMM, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mrs. HUTCHISON, and Ms. LANDRIEU) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the fair

and equitable implementation of the amendments made

by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996.

Whereas the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (Public

Law 104–170; 110 Stat. 1489) was enacted with unanimous congressional approval and with the assistance and

leadership of a broad coalition of agricultural, industry,

and public interest groups;

Whereas the amendments made by that Act are intended to

be an important tool in protecting public health, particularly the health and well-being of the most valuable resource of the United States, the children of the United

States;
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Whereas it is critical that the amendments made by that Act

be implemented in a way that accomplishes the intent of

Congress while maintaining an abundant, affordable, and

safe food supply for the United States, ensuring urban

pest control, and not unfairly providing competitive advantages to foreign food suppliers over domestic producers;

Whereas the amendments made by that Act require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to

develop risk assessment methodologies that are based on

reliable information and to undertake a massive review of

all approved pesticide tolerances;

Whereas on August 4, 1997, the Administrator published a

schedule for reassessment of more than 3,000 tolerances

by August 3, 1999, that could include certain classes of

products that are extensively used;

Whereas the sudden loss of uses and products could both economically cripple a host of agricultural commodities, including corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cotton, and dozens of

fruit and vegetable crops and create a public health

threat to the urban environment from the unchecked infestation of insects; and

Whereas it is critical that the amendments made by that Act

be implemented in a fair and equitable manner, and that

the protections be implemented while maintaining an

abundant, affordable, and safe food supply for the United

States: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) the Administrator of the Environmental

4 Protection Agency and the Secretary of Agriculture
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1 should ensure that the implementation of the

2 amendments made by the Food Quality Protection

3 Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–170; 110 Stat.

4 1489)—

5 (A) be based on sound science that pro6 tects public health;

7 (B) include transparent processes with full

8 disclosure of decisions and be subject to peer

9 and public review;

10 (C) provide for a reasonable transition for

11 agriculture; and

12 (D) require consultation with the public

13 and other agencies;

14 (2) the development of risk assessment meth15 odologies, guidelines, and protocols for collection of

16 data under the amendments made by that Act be

17 based on sound science and not default assumptions

18 in the absence of reliable data;

19 (3) the Administrator of the Environmental

20 Protection Agency should devote sufficient resources

21 to register new pesticide products and uses to pro22 vide effective substitutes for pesticides that may be

23 considered high risk under the amendments made by

24 that Act; and
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1 (4) the Administrator should establish ongoing

2 means for input regarding the implementation deci3 sions of the Administrator with respect to that Act

4 from producers, pesticide users, registrants, environ5 mental and public health groups, consumers, State

6 and local agencies, tribal governments, Members of

7 Congress, and appropriate Federal agencies.

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