[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 230 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 230

  Expressing the sense that Congress and the administration must work 
together, with urgency, to pursue effective food and agricultural trade 
                               policies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2025

 Mr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr. 
 Costa, Mr. Panetta, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. Bacon, 
Mr. Schneider, Mr. Sorensen, Mr. Gottheimer, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Miller of 
     Ohio, Mr. Newhouse, and Mr. Thanedar) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense that Congress and the administration must work 
together, with urgency, to pursue effective food and agricultural trade 
                               policies.

Whereas the United States food and agriculture industries are critical to the 
        prosperity of the United States people and vital to global food 
        security;
Whereas United States food and agriculture production standards are among the 
        most technologically advanced, highly efficient, safe, and sustainable 
        in the world;
Whereas the United States food and agriculture industries accounted for 
        $2,800,000,000,000 in total wages and generated over $9,600,000,000,000 
        in total economic output in 2023;
Whereas, in 2023, United States food and agriculture exports totaled nearly 
        $200,000,000,000, supporting jobs and creating economic opportunity 
        throughout the supply chain in every State of the country;
Whereas, in 2023, jobs in manufacturing of agricultural products accounted for 
        almost 20 percent of all manufacturing jobs in the United States;
Whereas, in addition to its commercial exports, the United States plays an 
        indispensable role in feeding millions around the world as the largest 
        country donor of international food assistance;
Whereas, in 2023, the United States experienced a 9-percent decline in the value 
        of United States food and agricultural exports;
Whereas the latest forecast by the Department of Agriculture for the 2024 fiscal 
        year predicted a food and agriculture trade deficit of $37,000,000,000, 
        a stark contrast to the United States historical trade surplus in 
        agricultural exports, which have averaged approximately $12,500,000,000 
        over the past 10 years;
Whereas current food and agricultural trade exports are significantly below 
        prior years, and the United States is losing its hard-won global 
        agricultural trade dominance;
Whereas United States food and agriculture remains subject to unjustified, 
        nonscience-based trade barriers across Asia, the Americas, and Europe;
Whereas United States food and agricultural exports still face trade-restrictive 
        tariffs in key markets around the globe; and
Whereas United States food and agricultural exports have grown significantly in 
        the past through the proactive engagement of the United States 
        Government over multiple administrations using a myriad of tools to open 
        and expand market access for United States farmers and ranchers 
        including comprehensive trade agreements, enforcement of existing 
        bilateral and World Trade Organization agreements through dispute 
        settlement processes, trade promotion programs, and bilateral or 
        regional negotiations to address tariff and nontariff barriers: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of Congress that Congress and the 
administration must work together, with urgency, to pursue effective 
food and agricultural trade policies that include the following 
components:
            (1) A renewed commitment to secure new and expanded market 
        access and maintain global competitiveness for the United 
        States food and agriculture industries.
            (2) Strong support for domestic trade promotion programs 
        that benefit all sectors of United States agriculture.
            (3) Consideration of comprehensive trade agreements with 
        key trading partners, focusing on new market access through 
        lower tariffs on United States exports and resolution of 
        unwarranted trade barriers.
            (4) Enforcement of the market access commitments in our 
        existing multilateral and bilateral trade agreements and 
        improved procedures to enforce United States trade laws for 
        agricultural producers.
            (5) The elimination of longstanding unwarranted nontariff 
        trade barriers through effective and efficient dispute 
        settlement processes.
            (6) Pursuit of a global trading system in food and 
        agriculture based on sound science through bilateral and 
        regional agreements as well as the World Trade Organization and 
        other international bodies.
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