Moran Works to Open Japanese Markets
MORAN WORKS TO OPEN JAPANESE MARKETS
Threatens Sanctions for Failing to Open Borders
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Jerry Moran today introduced a resolution calling on Japan to reopen its border to U.S. beef. Should Japan fail to do so, Moran's resolution requests that the U.S. Trade Representative seek economic sanctions against Japan. This legislation follows a letter Moran sent to Ryozo Kato, Ambassador of Japan, expressing concern over the lack of action by the Japanese government on this issue and warning Japan not to place its long-standing trade history with the United States in jeopardy.
"While the U.S. has done its part to meet the October agreement, Japan has not, and they stand to lose much more than the United States," Moran said. "If the Japanese government continues down this path, I believe the United States should impose economic sanctions to protect our country from further economic hardship."
In December of 2003, the U.S. discovered a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), in a Canadian dairy cow. Since that time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has aggressively implemented additional safety checks in the beef system to guarantee the safety of American beef. The result is that U.S. standards now exceed international beef safety standards.
Moran's resolution calls on Japan to meet its trade obligations under an agreement reached on October 23, 2004. If Japan fails to abide by the agreement to reopen its border, then the U.S. Trade Representative should initiate immediate retaliatory economic measures on Japan. Since Japan closed its markets to U.S. beef in December 2003, the U.S. has lost an estimated $2 billion in sales.
"The American beef supply is among the safest in the world," Moran said. "Losing access to a valuable trading market has had numerous negative consequences for the agriculture community. Japan no longer has any valid, scientific reasons for keeping its market closed. I intend to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that Japan understands the seriousness of their actions and the consequences of their continued inaction."
In 2003, the First Congressional District produced nearly five billion pounds of beef, making it the largest beef producing congressional district in the nation.
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ks01_moran/JapanResolution.html