After continued pressure from members of Congress, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Smith (R-OR), and in the face of imminent legislation, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced today that the United States will retaliate, consistent with WTO guidlines, to force the European Union (EU) to comply with WTO panel decisions regarding bananas and beef hormones. The WTO has det... Read more »
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Smith (R-OR) and 19 of his Western state colleagues today sent a letter to President Clinton urging him not to use a federal government shutdown for political gain under the guise of "protecting the environment." "We are deeply disappointed by reports from Vice President Gore that you intend to veto several spending bills over so-called "environmental rider... Read more »
In response to concerns that non-tariff barriers may place an unequal burden on U.S. farmers and ranchers seeking to export their products to Canada, Chairman Bill Barrett (R-NE) held a hearing of the Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities today to review questions of equity in U.S./Canadian trade. Agricultural producers, Rep. Rick Hill (R-MT), and representatives from the Food and A... Read more »
As thousands of farmers and ranchers face economic ruin due to adverse weather conditions and low crop prices, the Senate passed farm disaster relief legislation included in the Agricultural Appropriations Act (H.R. 4101) by a vote of 55-43 sending the vital legislation to the President for his signature. "There is only one person that stands between American farmers and ranchers and over $4 billi... Read more »
As thousands of farmers and ranchers face economic ruin due to adverse weather conditions and low crop prices, the House of Representatives passed farm disaster relief legislation included in the Agricultural Appropriations Act by a veto-proof margin of 333-53 taking another step to alleviate the crisis currently facing American farmers and ranchers. "Our farmers and ranchers are facing some of th... Read more »
As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepares to list the Canadian Lynx for listing as an endangered species, Representative Bob Smith (R-OR), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, led a group of six Northwest members in requesting that the comment period for the designation be extended for ninety days. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed listing the Canadian Lynx as th... Read more »
With only three days left in Fiscal Year 1998, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Smith (R-OR) sharply criticized President Clinton for failing to use $150 million in funds authorized by Congress for the Export Enhancement Program (EEP) to help ease the devastating burden on farmers caused by the Administration's absence of leadership in agricultural trade. President Clinton promised farmers... Read more »
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Smith (R-OR) announced that the House of Representatives passed an extensive tax relief plan (H.R. 4579) for U.S. farmers and ranchers today by a vote of 229-195 calling the legislation one of the most important actions Congress could take for the long term prosperity of the agricultural industry. "Many farmers and ranchers struggle each year to keep their ... Read more »
With preliminary environmental reports indicate that 20-50 percent of the juvenile salmon entering the lower Columbia River Estuary are consumed by birds, Congressman Bob Smith (R-OR) today sent a letter signed by nine Pacific Northwest colleagues to Regional Director Anne Badgely urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take action to reduce avian predation. "The regional electric ratepayers,... Read more »
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Smith (R-OR), today announced that beginning Wednesday, September 23 in the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Nutrition, and Foreign Agriculture, all committee and subcommittee hearings will be made available to the public through a live audio feed over the internet. "For the first time ever, people will be able to hear the Committee's proceedings as t... Read more »
