Moran Calls for Immediate Sanctions on Japan
MORAN CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE SANCTIONS ON JAPAN
Moran Says U.S. Must "
Refuse to be Bullied by Japan" on Beef Trade
WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Jerry Moran today renewed his call to impose sanctions on Japan for continued stall tactics in reopening its borders to U.S. beef imports. Earlier this year, Moran introduced a resolution calling on the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to seek economic sanctions against the Japanese if they failed to comply with an agreement reached last October to reopen their borders once sufficient testing procedures were put into place. The result is that the extensive measures taken by the U.S. Agriculture Department to guarantee the safety of American beef now actually exceed international beef safety standards.
"The fact that Japan still has not reopened its borders demonstrates an obvious lack of respect for the U.S. and the good-faith agreement we reached last fall to resume trading," Moran said. "We should impose retaliatory sanctions immediately upon Japan until it adheres to our agreement."
In December of 2003, the U.S. discovered a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). Japan banned U.S. beef as a result, but later agreed to resume imports once proper safety procedures were implemented. While procedures in the U.S. virtually guarantee the safety of American beef, the Japanese have documented many cases of BSE in their own livestock.
Earlier this week, Bush Administration officials expressed frustration over the continued lack of movement on the issue by Japan. Moran has met with the Ambassador of Japan on several occasions, expressing concern over the lack of action, and has urged Japan not to place its long-standing trade history with the U.S. unnecessarily at risk.
The ban by Japan has cost U.S. cattle producers over $2 billion in sales. In 2003, the First Congressional District produced nearly five billion pounds of beef, making it the largest beef producing congressional district in the nation.
"Japan cannot have it both ways," Moran concluded. "We import everything from tires and cars to seafood and electronics from them, and do so under the mutual agreements we've reached on trade. Japan's failure to abide by the agreement to resume beef imports has significant long-term implications that the USTR should immediately address. Our beef is excellent, and the U.S. must refuse to be bullied by Japan."
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ks01_moran/pr062305JapanSanctions.html