I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1714 

To reform the Federal sugar program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 26, 2015 

Mr. PITTS (for himself, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. GOODLATTE, 

Ms. SPEIER, Mr. DOLD, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. FOXX, Mr. RUSH, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. HANNA, Mr. STEWART, Mr. LATTA, Mr. DESJARLAIS, Mr. WOMACK, Mrs. BLACK, Mr. 

CHABOT, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. HENSARLING, 

Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. DENT, Mr. BARLETTA, and Mr. SENSENBRENNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To reform the Federal sugar program, 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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sugar Reform Act of 

5 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SUGAR PROGRAM. 

2 (a) SUGARCANE.—Section 156(a) of the Federal Ag3 riculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 

4 7272(a)) is amended— 

5 (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 

6 the semicolon at the end; 

7 (2) in paragraph (4)— 

8 (A) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and insert ‘‘2014’’; 

9 and 

10 (B) by striking the period at the end and 

11 inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

12 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(6) 18 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for 

14 each of the 2015 through 2018 crop years.’’. 

15 (b) SUGAR BEETS.—Section 156(b)(2) of the Federal 

16 Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 

17 U.S.C. 7272(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2009’’ and 

18 inserting ‘‘2015’’. 

19 (c) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Section 156(i) of the Fed20 eral Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 

21 U.S.C. 7272(i)) is amended by striking ‘‘2008’’ and in22 serting ‘‘2015’’. 

23 SEC. 3. FLEXIBLE MARKETING ALLOTMENTS FOR SUGAR. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 359b of the Agricultural 

25 Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359bb) is amended— 

26 (1) in subsection (a)(1)— 


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1 (A) in the matter before subparagraph (A), 

2 by striking ‘‘2008’’ and inserting ‘‘2017’’; and 

3 (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘at 

4 reasonable prices’’ after ‘‘stocks’’; and 

5 (2) in subsection (b)(1)— 

6 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘but’’ 

7 after the semicolon at the end and inserting 

8 ‘‘and’’; and 

9 (B) by striking subparagraph (B) and in10 serting the following: 

11 ‘‘(B) appropriate to maintain adequate do12 mestic supplies at reasonable prices, taking into 

13 account all sources of domestic supply, includ14 ing imports.’’. 

15 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF FLEXIBLE MARKETING AL16 LOTMENTS.—Section 359c of the Agricultural Adjustment 

17 Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359cc) is amended— 

18 (1) in subsection (b)— 

19 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

20 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

21 ‘‘but’’ after the semicolon at the end and 

22 inserting ‘‘and’’; and 

23 (ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and 

24 inserting the following: 


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1 ‘‘(B) appropriate to maintain adequate 

2 supplies at reasonable prices, taking into ac3 count all sources of domestic supply, including 

4 imports.’’; and 

5 (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ‘‘at 

6 reasonable prices’’ after ‘‘market’’; and 

7 (2) in subsection (g)(1)— 

8 (A) by striking ‘‘ADJUSTMENTS.—’’ and 

9 all that follows through ‘‘Subject to subpara10 graph (B), the’’ and inserting ‘‘ADJUST11 MENTS.—The’’; and 

12 (B) by striking subparagraph (B). 

13 (c) SUSPENSION OR MODIFICATION OF PROVI14 SIONS.—Section 359j of the Agricultural Adjustment Act 

15 of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359jj) is amended by adding at the 

16 end the following: 

17 ‘‘(c) SUSPENSION OR MODIFICATION OF PROVI18 SIONS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, 

19 the Secretary may suspend or modify, in whole or in part, 

20 the application of any provision of this part if the Sec21 retary determines that the action is appropriate, taking 

22 into account— 

23 ‘‘(1) the interests of consumers, workers in the 

24 food industry, businesses (including small busi25 nesses), and agricultural producers; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) the relative competitiveness of domestically 

2 produced and imported foods containing sugar.’’. 

3 (d) ADMINISTRATION OF TARIFF RATE QUOTAS.— 

4 Section 359k of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 

5 (7 U.S.C. 1359kk) is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 359k. ADMINISTRATION OF TARIFF RATE QUOTAS. 

7 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Notwithstanding any other 

8 provision of law, at the beginning of the quota year, the 

9 Secretary shall establish the tariff-rate quotas for raw 

10 cane sugar and refined sugar at no less than the minimum 

11 level necessary to comply with obligations under inter12 national trade agreements that have been approved by 

13 Congress. 

14 ‘‘(b) ADJUSTMENT.— 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (a), 

16 the Secretary shall adjust the tariff-rate quotas for 

17 raw cane sugar and refined sugar to provide ade18 quate supplies of sugar at reasonable prices in the 

19 domestic market. 

20 ‘‘(2) ENDING STOCKS.—Subject to paragraphs 

21 (1) and (3), the Secretary shall establish and adjust 

22 tariff-rate quotas in such a manner that the ratio of 

23 sugar stocks to total sugar use at the end of the 

24 quota year will be approximately 15.5 percent. 


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1 ‘‘(3) MAINTENANCE OF REASONABLE PRICES

2 AND AVOIDANCE OF FORFEITURES.— 

3 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may es4 tablish a different target for the ratio of ending 

5 stocks to total use if, in the judgment of the 

6 Secretary, the different target is necessary to 

7 prevent— 

8 ‘‘(i) unreasonably high prices; or 

9 ‘‘(ii) forfeitures of sugar pledged as 

10 collateral for a loan under section 156 of 

11 the Federal Agriculture Improvement and 

12 Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272). 

13 ‘‘(B) ANNOUNCEMENT.—The Secretary 

14 shall publicly announce any establishment of a 

15 target under this paragraph. 

16 ‘‘(4) CONSIDERATIONS.—In establishing tariff17 rate quotas under subsection (a) and making adjust18 ments under this subsection, the Secretary shall con19 sider the impact of the quotas on consumers, work20 ers, businesses (including small businesses), and ag21 ricultural producers. 

22 ‘‘(c) TEMPORARY TRANSFER OF QUOTAS.— 

23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To promote full use of the 

24 tariff-rate quotas for raw cane sugar and refined 

25 sugar, notwithstanding any other provision of law, 


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1 the Secretary shall promulgate regulations that pro2 vide that any country that has been allocated a 

3 share of the quotas may temporarily transfer all or 

4 part of the share to any other country that has also 

5 been allocated a share of the quotas. 

6 ‘‘(2) TRANSFERS VOLUNTARY.—Any transfer 

7 under this subsection shall be valid only on vol8 untary agreement between the transferor and the 

9 transferee, consistent with procedures established by 

10 the Secretary. 

11 ‘‘(3) TRANSFERS TEMPORARY.— 

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any transfer under 

13 this subsection shall be valid only for the dura14 tion of the quota year during which the transfer 

15 is made. 

16 ‘‘(B) FOLLOWING QUOTA YEAR.—No 

17 transfer under this subsection shall affect the 

18 share of the quota allocated to the transferor or 

19 transferee for the following quota year.’’. 

20 (e) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Section 359l(a) of the Ag21 ricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359ll(a)) 

22 is amended by striking ‘‘2008’’ and inserting ‘‘2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. REPEAL OF FEEDSTOCK FLEXIBILITY PROGRAM 

2 FOR BIOENERGY PRODUCERS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 9010 of the Farm Secu4 rity and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8110) 

5 is repealed. 

6 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

7 (1) Section 359a(3)(B) of the Agricultural Ad8 justment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359aa(3)(B)) is 

9 amended— 

10 (A) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘and’’ after 

11 the semicolon at the end; 

12 (B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘; and’’ at 

13 the end and inserting a period; and 

14 (C) by striking clause (iii). 

15 (2) Section 359b(c)(2)(C) of the Agricultural 

16 Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359bb(c)(2)(C)) 

17 is amended by striking ‘‘, except for’’ and all that 

18 follows through ‘‘of 2002’’. 

Æ 


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