H-1988.1  _______________________________________________

               SUBSTITUTE HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4005

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology (originally sponsored by Representatives Schoesler, Grant, G. Chandler, Sump, Mastin, Lisk, Linville, Tokuda, Doumit, Delvin, Radcliff, Dunn and Mulliken)

Read first time 02/23/1999.

Urging elimination of unilateral trade sanctions.

    TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, Unilateral trade sanctions on agricultural exports have placed a heavy burden on American farmers and the American economy; and

    WHEREAS, United States unilateral trade sanctions on agricultural exports deprive American wheat-growing families of access to eleven percent of the world grain trade; and

    WHEREAS, Direct economic losses for wheat producers have ranged from three hundred million dollars to over five hundred million dollars annually for the past three years; and

    WHEREAS, The losses are not merely confined to wheat, in that growers of peas, lentils, barley, and many other crops have been affected as well; and

    WHEREAS, Unilateral sanctions on agricultural exports impose a severe penalty upon United States agriculture and upon the consuming public of the sanctioned country, while providing market protection for our competitors; and

    WHEREAS, Unilateral sanctions that limit commercial, government-assisted, or humanitarian movement of agricultural products have proven to be ineffective mechanisms to further United States foreign policy goals; and

    WHEREAS, Farmers across America were grateful for the swift passage of emergency federal legislation granting a one-year waiver of sanctions against two major trading partners, Pakistan and India, for credit sales of agricultural commodities, products, medicine, and medical equipment; and

    WHEREAS, That emergency legislation prevented the financial calamity we face from becoming worse yet, greater long-term steps must be taken if America's farm families are to survive.

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that all current unilateral sanctions pertaining to agricultural exports be eliminated, except in cases of compelling national emergency or declaration of war; and that legislation be approved to implement a producer and worker-compensation program based on the negative impact of sanctions on the sale of agricultural products.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington, and the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture.

                            --- END ---