IV
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION 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
MARCH18, 2025
Mr. J
OHNSONof South Dakota (for himself, Mr. SMITHof Nebraska, Mr.
C
OSTA, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. HARDERof California, Mr.
B
ACON, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. SORENSEN, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Ms.
T
ENNEY, Mr. MILLERof 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
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•HRES 230 IH
generated over $9,600,000,000,000 in total economic out-
put 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 manufac-
turing 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 inter-
national food assistance;
Whereas, in 2023, the United States experienced a 9-percent
decline in the value of United States food and agricul-
tural 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 ex-
ports, which have averaged approximately
$12,500,000,000 over the past 10 years;
Whereas current food and agricultural trade exports are sig-
nificantly below prior years, and the United States is los-
ing 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
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•HRES 230 IH
Whereas United States food and agricultural exports have
grown significantly in the past through the proactive en-
gagement of the United States Government over multiple
administrations using a myriad of tools to open and ex-
pand market access for United States farmers and ranch-
ers including comprehensive trade agreements, enforce-
ment of existing bilateral and World Trade Organization
agreements through dispute settlement processes, trade
promotion programs, and bilateral or regional negotia-
tions to address tariff and nontariff barriers: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of Congress that Con-1
gress and the administration must work together, with ur-2
gency, to pursue effective food and agricultural trade poli-3
cies that include the following components: 4
(1) A renewed commitment to secure new and 5
expanded market access and maintain global com-6
petitiveness for the United States food and agri-7
culture industries. 8
(2) Strong support for domestic trade pro-9
motion programs that benefit all sectors of United 10
States agriculture. 11
(3) Consideration of comprehensive trade agree-12
ments with key trading partners, focusing on new 13
market access through lower tariffs on United 14
States exports and resolution of unwarranted trade 15
barriers. 16
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(4) Enforcement of the market access commit-1
ments in our existing multilateral and bilateral trade 2
agreements and improved procedures to enforce 3
United States trade laws for agricultural producers. 4
(5) The elimination of longstanding unwar-5
ranted nontariff trade barriers through effective and 6
efficient dispute settlement processes. 7
(6) Pursuit of a global trading system in food 8
and agriculture based on sound science through bi-9
lateral and regional agreements as well as the World 10
Trade Organization and other international bodies. 11
Æ
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