Reps. Sheltrown, DeRossett, Emmons, Brown, Elkins, Bieda, Milosch, Hune, Gieleghem, Accavitti, Dennis, Gleason, Farrah, Sak, Gillard, O'Neil, Rivet, Byrum, Woodward, Hardman, Condino, Minore, Wojno, Tobocman, Cheeks, Plakas, Paletko, Spade, Williams, Meisner, Clack, Zelenko, Phillips, Anderson, Murphy, Kolb, Jamnick, Stallworth, Law, Hopgood, Stahl, Meyer, Lipsey, Amos, Caswell, Julian, LaSata, Vander Veen, Voorhees, Nofs and Palsrok offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 9.

            A concurrent resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to provide for tariff rate quotas to deal with the importation of dry milk protein concentrates.

            Whereas, The dairy industry has been significantly impacted in recent years by the rising use of dry milk protein concentrates (MPCs).  The technology that makes possible the utlrafiltration process that separates proteins and the other components of milk was not fully developed when the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was finalized in 1994.  As a result, there are almost no restrictions on the importation of MPCs.  This is causing serious damage to the domestic dairy industry; and

            Whereas, According to the General Accounting Office report on dairy products, the volume of MPC imports grew from 805 metric tons in 1990 to 44,878 in 1999.  The quotas set under GATT in 1994 are clearly not comprehensive enough for the forms in which some dairy products are imported today.  Foreign exporters are known to blend dairy proteins for the purpose of circumventing existing tariff rate quotas; and

            Whereas, In the 108^th Congress, legislation has been introduced to establish tariff rate quotas for MPCs.  With the enactment of legislation to close this loophole, American agriculture will be able to compete on a more equal basis.  The overall benefits, to our national economy and the domestic dairy industry, will strengthen a vitally important industry and restore the stability of the marketplace; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to provide for tariff rate quotas for dry milk protein concentrates that are equivalent to the import quotas currently in place on other dairy products; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.