Meat Packing Special Investigator Act

Bill: 117-s-2036
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2021-06-10
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Competition and antitrust

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Department of Agriculture

Executive agency funding and structure

Food industry and services

Government studies and investigations

Meat
Latest action: action_date: 2021-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-06-10
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Meat Packing Special Investigator Act</strong></p> <p>This bill establishes within the Department of Agriculture's Packers and Stockyards Division the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters.</p> <p>Specifically, the office must use all available tools (e.g., subpoenas) to investigate and prosecute violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 by packers. Further, the bill grants the office the authority to bring any civil or administrative action authorized by that act against a packer.</p> <p>Additionally, the office must</p> <ul> <li>serve as a liaison to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission with respect to competition and trade practices in the food and agricultural sector,</li> <li>consult with the Department of Homeland Security on national security and critical infrastructure security in the food and agricultural sector, and</li> <li>maintain a staff of attorneys and other professionals with appropriate expertise.</li> </ul>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2036 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 10, 2021 Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Grassley , and Mr. Rounds ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, to establish the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Meat Packing Special Investigator Act . 2. Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters The Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, is amended by inserting after section 210 ( 7 U.S.C. 197c ) the following: 211. Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters (a) Establishment There is established within the Packers and Stockyards Division of the Department of Agriculture an office, to be known as the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters (referred to in this section as the Office ). (b) Special investigator for competition matters The Office shall be headed by the Special Investigator for Competition Matters (referred to in this section as the Special Investigator ), who shall be appointed by the Secretary. (c) Duties The Special Investigator shall— (1) use all available tools, including subpoenas, to investigate and prosecute violations of this Act by packers; (2) serve as a Department of Agriculture liaison to, and act in consultation with, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission with respect to competition and trade practices in the food and agricultural sector; (3) act in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security with respect to national security and critical infrastructure security in the food and agricultural sector; and (4) maintain a staff of attorneys and other professionals with appropriate expertise. (d) Prosecutorial authority Not­with­stand­ing title 28, United States Code, the Special Investigator shall have the authority to bring any civil or administrative action authorized under this Act against a packer. .