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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 7 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 7

Expressing the sense of Congress that all direct and indirect subsidies 
   that benefit the production or export of sugar by all major sugar-
        producing and -consuming countries should be eliminated.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 2019

 Mr. Yoho (for himself, Mr. Mooney of West Virginia, Mr. Hastings, Mr. 
   Jones, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, and Mr. 
  Mitchell) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
  referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the 
Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of Congress that all direct and indirect subsidies 
   that benefit the production or export of sugar by all major sugar-
        producing and -consuming countries should be eliminated.

Whereas every major sugar-producing and sugar-consuming country in the world 
        maintains some form of direct or indirect subsidy to support its sugar 
        growers, processors, or consumers;
Whereas virtually all of the more than 100 countries that produce sugar maintain 
        market-distorting subsidy programs, including--

    (1) the Government of Brazil which provides direct and indirect 
subsidies of at least $2,500,000,000 per year for programs to promote its 
sugar and ethanol industry and has increased subsidies in recent years in 
the form of preferential loans, debt forgiveness, and increased ethanol 
usage mandates;

    (2) the Government of India which provides at least $1,700,000,000 per 
year in subsidy supports to prop up its inefficient sugar industry, 
including WTO-illegal export subsidies in 2014, 2015, and 2018;

    (3) the Government of Thailand which has more than tripled its sugar 
exports since 2004 by providing at least $1,300,000,000 in subsidies and 
government programs to its sugar industry and by maintaining domestic 
prices well above export prices;

    (4) the Government of the European Union which is sending an estimated 
$665,000,000 per year in subsidies to sugar farmers; and

    (5) the Government of Mexico which has used direct and indirect 
subsidies to keep open sugar mills owned by private industry and the 
government has sent direct payments to sugarcane growers, and has been 
found guilty of injuring United States sugar producers by dumping 
subsidized sugar into the United States market;

Whereas the world sugar market is the most volatile commodity market in the 
        world;
Whereas the foregoing clauses provide ample evidence there is no undistorted, 
        free market in sugar in the world today; and
Whereas if such a free market did exist, United States sugar farmers and 
        processors could compete effectively in that market: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the President should seek elimination of all direct and 
        indirect subsidies benefiting the production or export of sugar 
        by the government of--
                    (A) each country that exported more than 200,000 
                metric tons of sugar in 2016, 2017, or 2018; and
                    (B) by any other country with which the United 
                States has in effect a free trade agreement;
            (2) if the President determines that all such subsidies by 
        all such countries have been eliminated, the President should 
        submit a report to Congress providing detailed information 
        about how each of the countries has eliminated such subsidies; 
        and
            (3) after submitting such a report, the President should 
        propose to Congress legislation to implement United States 
        sugar policy reforms.
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