[CTC] ICYMI: House passes COOL repeal

[Arthur Stamoulis]

POLITICO
 
House passes COOL repeal
 
6/10/15 10:10 PM EDT
The House on Wednesday night voted 300-131 to repeal country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef, pork and poultry. The bill now goes to the Senate, which is more conflicted about the measure.

Senate Agriculture Committee leaders have yet to determine an approach to the COOL rule, which has been faulted by the World Trade Organization as discriminatory to Mexican and Canadian producers.

"I don't support repeal,” ranking member Debbie Stabenow told reporters Wednesday. “The Senate traditionally has not supported repeal. I'm working with [Chairman Pat] Roberts. I'm hoping we can find a balanced approach that gives consumers information they need but is also WTO-compliant.”

But the panel’s chairman has indicated repeal is his preferred option.

“Chairman Roberts continues to ask that alternatives be brought forth that meet our trade obligations,” his spokeswoman Meghan Cline told POLITICO. “Almost a month has passed since the WTO ruling was announced, and repeal appears to be the surest way to protect the American economy from retaliatory tariffs.”

— Victoria Guida


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