I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1617

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to provide for the eventual removal of intrastate distribution

restrictions on State inspected meat and poultry.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 28, 1999

Mr. THORNBERRY (for himself, Mr. STENHOLM, Mrs. CUBIN, and Mr.

THUNE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry

Products Inspection Act to provide for the eventual removal of intrastate distribution restrictions on State inspected meat and poultry.

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

3 SECTION 1. REMOVAL OF INTRASTATE DISTRIBUTION RE4 STRICTIONS ON STATE INSPECTED MEAT

5 AND POULTRY.

6 (a) FEDERAL MEAT INSPECTION ACT.—
2

•HR 1617 IH

1 (1) REMOVAL OF INTRASTATE DISTRIBUTION

2 LIMITATION.—Section 301 of the Federal Meat In3 spection Act (21 U.S.C. 661) is amended—

4 (A) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub5 section (e); and

6 (B) by inserting after subsection (c) the

7 following new subsection:

8 ‘‘(d) REMOVAL OF INTRASTATE DISTRIBUTION LIMI9 TATION.—

10 ‘‘(1) PERMANENT REMOVAL.—Effective Janu11 ary 25, 2000, the limitation in subsection (a)(1) that

12 restricts State inspected meat and meat food prod13 ucts to intrastate distribution shall no longer apply.

14 ‘‘(2) EARLY WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Before the

15 date specified in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall

16 waive the intrastate distribution limitation in sub17 section (a)(1) with regard to a State if the Secretary

18 determines that the meat inspection agency for the

19 State enforces a State meat inspection law that im20 poses mandatory ante mortem and post mortem in21 spection, reinspection, and sanitation requirements

22 that are at least equal to those under title I and IV

23 of this Act, with respect to persons engaged in the

24 State in slaughtering cattle, sheep, swine, goats, or

25 equines, or preparing the carcasses, parts thereof,
3

•HR 1617 IH

1 meat or meat food products, of any such animals for

2 use as human food.’’.

3 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Subsection

4 (a) of such section is amended—

5 (A) in the matter before paragraph (1), by

6 striking ‘‘this policy—’’ and inserting ‘‘this pol7 icy:’’; and

8 (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The

9 Secretary is’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sub10 section (d), the Secretary is’’.

11 (b) POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT.—

12 (1) REMOVAL OF INTRASTATE DISTRIBUTION

13 LIMITATION.—Section 5 of the Poultry Products In14 spection Act (21 U.S.C. 454) is amended—

15 (A) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub16 section (e); and

17 (B) by inserting after subsection (c) the

18 following new subsection:

19 ‘‘(d) REMOVAL OF INTRASTATE DISTRIBUTION LIMI20 TATION.—

21 ‘‘(1) PERMANENT REMOVAL.—Effective Janu22 ary 25, 2000, the limitation in subsection (a)(1) that

23 restricts State inspected poultry and poultry prod24 ucts to intrastate distribution shall no longer apply.
4

•HR 1617 IH

1 ‘‘(2) EARLY WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Before the

2 date specified in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall

3 waive the intrastate distribution limitation in sub4 section (a)(1) with regard to a State if the Secretary

5 determines that the poultry product inspection agen6 cy for the State enforces a mandatory State poultry

7 product inspection law that imposes ante mortem

8 and post mortem inspection, reinspection, and sani9 tation requirements that are at least equal to those

10 under this Act, with respect to persons engaged in

11 the State in slaughtering poultry or processing poul12 try products for use as human food.’’.

13 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Subsection

14 (a) of such section is amended—

15 (A) in the matter before paragraph (1), by

16 striking ‘‘this policy—’’ and inserting ‘‘this pol17 icy:’’; and

18 (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The

19 Secretary is’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sub20 section (d), the Secretary is’’.

Æ