USDA Grade Rescission Act of 1999 (Introduced in the House)

HR 1698 IH

106th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1698

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to provide that a quality grade label issued by the Secretary of Agriculture may not be used for imported meat and meat food products.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 5, 1999

Mr. HILL of Montana (for himself, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. MCHUGH, and Mr. WATKINS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to provide that a quality grade label issued by the Secretary of Agriculture may not be used for imported meat and meat food products.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `USDA Grade Rescission Act of 1999'.

SEC. 2. QUALITY GRADE LABELING OF IMPORTED MEAT AND MEAT FOOD PRODUCTS.

Section 1(n) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601(n)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (11), by striking `or' at the end;

(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end and inserting `; or'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(13) if it is an imported carcass, part thereof, meat, or meat food product (including any carcass, part thereof, meat, or meat food product produced from any cattle, sheep, or goats that have not been fed in the United States for at least 90 days) and bears a label that indicates a quality grade issued by the Secretary.'.