Country-of-origin labeling law repealed

摘要

Congress approved legislation to suspend country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for certain muscle cuts of meat that will avoid costly trade retaliation by Canada and Mexico. The U.S. Senate approved the measure by a vote of 65 to 33 following the bill's passage in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 316 to 113. Prior to the vote, it was announced that language to repeal COOL was added to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, or the Omnibus bill. The World Trade Organization (W.T.O.) had ruled against U.S. COOL policy and authorized Canada and Mexico to impose retaliatory tariffs topping $1 billion. Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he hoped the Senate could pass the bill in time to prevent retaliation by Canada and Mexico.