34 



Senator Daschle. Well, I hope you will clarify that, Mr. O'Mara, 

 because as you know, we had similar assurances before we agreed 

 to the Canadian Free Agreement, and we have spent an inordinate 

 amount of time trying to clarify just what that assurance meant 

 after the agreement was signed. And so I would hope we don't. I 

 hope we have learned from the lessons that we had with the Cana- 

 dians with regard to inspection, and assurances in and of them- 

 selves are no longer enough. We are going to have to see some kind 

 of an interpretive ruling, and anything in writing that you can 

 share with us and for the record would be very helpful. 



[Mr. O'Mara submitted the following material for the record:] 

 There is nothing in the NAFTA that prohibits us from maintaining the 

 current or higher standards on domestic and imported meat. The FSIS will 

 continue to inspect meat and poultry as required by our laws, and the 

 NAFTA will in no way affect that. 



Senator Daschle. Thank you, and I thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

 Senator Kerrey is next, Mr. Chairman. 



The Chairman. I think that is wonderful. Senator Kerrey, go 

 right ahead. 



Senator Kerrey. Secretary Moos, just to close out the possible 

 Section 22 recommendation that you might be making against Can- 

 ada, do you intend to include all small grains, specifically oats? 



Mr. Moos. No. This just refers to wheat. 



Senator Kerrey. Why? 



Mr. Moos. Because that was the focus of the task force study. 

 We would have to treat other grains separately if we want to go 

 forward and make a similar case for them. 



Senator Kerrey. Well, it seems to me that a case could be made 

 for both of them if you are going to make a case for one. We have 

 a large amount of subsidized oats coming into the United States as 

 well as subsidized wheat. It is essentially the same thing. 



Mr. Moos. There has been a large amount of oats imported from 

 Canada for years, but there hasn't been the kind of pressure or the 

 charge that it was being done unfairly to promote or provoke a task 

 force study in terms of whether a Section 22 action ought to be in- 

 voked. 



Senator Kerrey. We didn't holler loud enough? 



Mr. Moos. I wasn't, of course, part of the previous administra- 

 tion, but I at one time in my past did represent the American Oat 

 Industry. 



Senator Kerrey. You didn't holler loud enough. 



Mr. Moos. I found out that there are a lot of users in the United 

 States that welcomed the imported oats from Canada. 



Senator Kerrey. Yes, I am not surprised. 



Ambassador Kantor, I have a series of questions for you, leading 

 to a little bit of a discussion on the problem with sugar. I under- 

 stand that while I was gone you made some references to it. I must 

 say I really do appreciate your openness and willingness to meet 

 with many individuals and organizations, specifically the dry edible 

 bean producers that have raised some concerns. 



It seems to me that if we have a future, as you alluded to, of bi- 

 and trilateral treaties like this, then I say with all due respect for 

 Carla Hills and President Bush that one of the lessons that I carry 

 away from NAFTA is that if you close the process off, that con- 



