III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 544 

Supporting increased market access for exports of United States beef and 

beef products. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 27 (legislative day, MAY 26), 2010 

Mr. BAUCUS (for himself, Mr. JOHANNS, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. 

NELSON of Nebraska, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BINGAMAN, 

and Mr. ROBERTS) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting increased market access for exports of United 

States beef and beef products. 

Whereas in 2003, United States beef exports to China, 

Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and 

Vietnam were valued at $3,300,000,000. 

Whereas after the discovery of 1 Canadian-born cow infected 

with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) disease in 

the State of Washington in December 2003, China, 

Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and 

Vietnam, among others, closed their markets to United 

States beef; 

Whereas for years the Government of the United States has 

developed and implemented a multilayered system of 


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•SRES 544 ATS 

interlocking safeguards to ensure the safety of United 

States beef, and after the 2003 discovery, the United 

States implemented further safeguards to ensure beef 

safety; 

Whereas a 2006 study by the United States Department of 

Agriculture found that BSE was virtually nonexistent in 

the United States; 

Whereas the internationally recognized standard-setting body, 

the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), has 

classified the United States as a controlled risk country 

for BSE, which means that all United States beef and 

beef products from cattle of all ages is safe for export 

and consumption; 

Whereas China continues to prohibit imports of all beef and 

beef products from the United States; 

Whereas Japan has opened its market for United States exporters of beef and beef products from cattle less than 

21 months of age, but has not yet opened its market for 

all United States beef and beef products from cattle of 

all ages; 

Whereas Hong Kong has opened its market for United States 

exporters of deboned beef from cattle less than 30 

months of age, but has not yet opened its market for all 

United States beef and beef products from cattle of all 

ages; 

Whereas Taiwan has opened its market for United States exporters of deboned and bone-in beef and certain offal 

products from cattle less than 30 months of age and has 

agreed to open, but has not yet opened, its market for 

all United States beef and beef products from cattle of 

all ages; 


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•SRES 544 ATS 

Whereas South Korea has opened its market for United 

States exporters of beef and beef products from cattle 

less than 30 months of age and has agreed to open eventually, but has not yet opened, its market for all United 

States beef and beef products from cattle of all ages; 

Whereas Mexico has opened its market for United States exporters of deboned and bone-in beef and certain offal 

from cattle less than 30 months of age, but has not yet 

opened its market for all United States beef and beef 

products from cattle of all ages; 

Whereas Vietnam has opened its market for United States 

exporters of beef and beef products from cattle less than 

30 months of age, but has not yet opened its market for 

all United States beef and beef products from cattle of 

all ages; 

Whereas between 2004 through 2009, United States beef exports declined due to these restrictions, causing significant revenue losses for United States cattle producers, 

for example, United States beef exports to Japan and 

South Korea averaged less than 15 percent of the 

amount the United States sold to Japan and South 

Korea in 2003; and 

Whereas, while China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South 

Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam remain important trading 

partners of the United States, unscientific trade restrictions are not consistent with their trade obligations: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (1) sanitary measures affecting trade in beef 

3 and beef products between the United States and 


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•SRES 544 ATS 

1 China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, 

2 Mexico, and Vietnam should be based on science; 

3 (2) since banning United States beef in Decem4 ber 2003, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South 

5 Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam have, to varying de6 grees, failed to comply with internationally recog7 nized scientific guidelines with respect to United 

8 States beef and beef products 

9 (3) China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South 

10 Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam should fully comply 

11 with internationally recognized scientific guidelines; 

12 (4) China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South 

13 Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam should open their mar14 kets to United States exporters of all beef and beef 

15 products from cattle of all ages, consistent with OIE 

16 guidelines; and 

17 (5) the President should continue to insist on 

18 full access for United States exporters of beef and 

19 beef products to the markets in China, Japan, Hong 

20 Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam. 

Æ 


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