•HRES 926 IH 
Whereas today over 80 percent of seafood consumed by 
Americans is imported; 
Whereas the FDA was only able to inspect 1.93 percent of 
all seafood imports in 2006, despite a 78 percent increase 
of Vibrio, a diarrheal disease associated with seafood, fol-
lowing the enactment of NAFTA between 1996 and 
2006; 
Whereas the U.S. Department of Agriculture (‘‘USDA’’) has 
only inspected 11 percent of beef, pork, and chicken im-
ported into the United States, despite the continuing 
threat of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow 
disease, and other health issues; 
Whereas many Americans have been affected by major food 
contamination or health problems in the United States, 
including recalls of spinach for Salmonella and E. coli 
contamination, the recall of tainted pet food from China 
that sickened and killed an estimated 39,000 pets, and 
the ban of Canadian cattle after cows tested positive for 
mad cow disease; 
Whereas the United States allows food to be imported 
through 360 ports, although only 13 cities have an FDA 
laboratory; 
Whereas trade deals force the United States to accept food 
imports that do not meet safety standards for food pro-
duced in the United States as long as the products meet 
a vague ‘‘equivalent’’ standard; 
Whereas vigorous inspections of imported food and products 
by Federal officials is viewed as an impediment to trade 
under many agreements and therefore are not carried out 
in an effective and efficient manner; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:32 Jan 17, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR926.IH
HR926
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
•HRES 926 IH 
Whereas the overall value of imported products has increased 
dramatically during the NAFTA era, including an in-
crease of 67 percent between 2000 and 2006; 
Whereas 80 percent of all toys sold in the United States 
today are imported from China; 
Whereas the number of Chinese-made products being recalled 
in the United States has doubled in the past 5 years; 
Whereas Chinese-made products now account for 60 percent 
of all consumer product recalls; and 
Whereas the Consumer Product Safety Commission has half 
the number of employees it had 3 decades ago, before 
trade deals allowed unregulated, foreign products to flood 
our markets: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the United States House of Rep-
resentatives— 
(1) recognizes the causal relationship between 
so-called ‘‘free trade agreements’’ and the increase 
of imports; 
(2) recognizes that adoption of additional trade 
agreements will likely significantly increase the num-
ber of products and food our Nation imports; 
(3) recognizes that current United States’ trade 
policies must be improved to adequately ensure the 
safety of imported food and products; 
(4) recognizes the link between current United 
States trade policies and the increase in tainted im-
ported food and unsafe products; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:32 Jan 17, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR926.IH
HR926
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
•HRES 926 IH 
(5) recognizes that the percentage of food im-
ports currently inspected by the United States is in-
adequate and poses a risk to American families; 
(6) recognizes the need to ensure the safety of 
imported food before additional trade agreements 
are ratified; 
(7) encourages the USDA, FDA, and other 
Federal agencies charged with keeping imported 
food safe to step up inspections of imported food; 
and 
(8) encourages greater vigilance by Federal 
agencies in ensuring imported products and food are 
safe. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:32 Jan 17, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR926.IH
HR926
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS