Country of Origin Labeling. The House version of H.R. 2673 (Fiscal 2004 Omnibus Appropriations) included a provision stating: "None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act shall be used for the implementation of Country of Origin Labeling for meat or meat products." The intent of this provision, of course, is to end country of origin labeling requirements for meat by denying the funding for enforcement. During Senate consideration of this legislation, Senator Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) offered an amendment expressing the "sense of the Senate" that the Senate conferees insist that no such restriction on the use of funding appear in the final version of the bill.
The Senate rejected a motion to table (kill) this amendment to H.R. 2673 on November 6, 2003 by a vote of 36 to 58 (Roll Call 443). We have assigned pluses to the "nays" — that is, those who opposed killing the amendment — because country of origin labeling is a useful tool for (to quote the Constitution) "regulating commerce with foreign nations." The Daschle amendment was adopted by voice vote later the same day.
