Statement from Senator Norm Coleman on Exporting U.S. Beef to Japan

STATEMENT FROM SENATOR NORM COLEMAN ON EXPORTING U.S. BEEF TO JAPAN

Today's announcement is a sign of progress in what has been a frustrating delay for U.S. ranchers. However, until U.S. beef is unloaded on Japanese ports, I'm not going to declare victory about this or any other announcement about the Japanese ending their beef ban. To keep the pressure on our Pacific neighbors, I am happy to join my colleagues Senator Roberts and Senator Conrad in introducing legislation today to authorize sanctions against Japan if they do not resume imports of U.S. beef by August 31, 2006. This is an issue of fair trade, and I stand by my cattlemen in pressing the Japanese to move quickly in resuming U.S. beef imports.

http://coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=998&Month=6&Year=2006