Reform Legislation

Several pieces of legislation have been introduced in the 113th Congress in an effort to reform the U.S. sugar program, including:

  • Sugar Reform Act of 2013

    • S. 345: Introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Bob Corker (R-TN), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on February 14, 2013
      • Co-sponsored by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN), Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)
    • H.R. 693: Introduced by Reps. Joe Pitts (R-PA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) on February 14, 2013
      • Co-sponsored by Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV), Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA), Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), Rep. Charles Dent (R-PA), Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA), Rep. John Duncan (R-TN), Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL), Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY), Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), Rep. Joseph Heck (R-NV), Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH), Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Rep. Robert Latta (R-OH), Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA), Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), Rep. Thomas Petri (R-WI), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), Rep. James Renacci (R-OH), Rep. David Roe (R-TN), Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA), Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), Rep. Bradley Schneider (D-IL), Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH), Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) and Rep. Todd Young (R-IN)
    • Key measures include:
      • Repealing unnecessary trade restrictions
      • Repealing the Feedstock Flexibility Program
      • Eliminating higher price support levels
      • Reforming domestic supply restrictions to provide more flexibility to USDA
      • Providing flexibility to USDA in administering quotas
    • Downloads

Several pieces of legislation were introduced in the 112th Congress in an effort to reform the U.S. sugar program, including:

  • Free Market Sugar Act (H.R. 1385)
    • Introduced by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) and Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) on April 6, 2011
      • Co-signed by Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA), Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Rep. Charles Dent (R-PA), Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL),  Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA), Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA), Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), Rep. Daniel Lipinksi (D-IL), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA)
    • Key measures included:
      • Repealing the sugar price support program and marketing allotments for sugar
      • Repealing the Feedstock Flexibility Program which requires the government to buy surplus sugar at a significant cost and sell it to ethanol producers at a loss
      • Requiring the Agriculture Secretary to manage the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for sugar at a level necessary to ensure an adequate supply of sugar at reasonable prices in the United States
    • Downloads
  • The SUGAR (Stop Unfair Giveaways and Restrictions) Act of 2011 (S. 25)
    • Introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) on January 25, 2011
      • Co-signed by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
    • Key measures included:
      • Elimination of the sugar price support program and marketing allotments that limit the amount of sugar that companies can sell
      • Elimination of import restraints that make it difficult for food and beverage manufacturers to make use of much-needed international supplies of sugar
    • Downloads
  • Free Sugar Act of 2011
    • S. 685: Introduced by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) on March 30, 2011
      • Co-signed by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN), and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)
    • H.R. 1739: Introduced by Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) on May 5, 2011
      • Co-signed by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-IL), Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI), Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY), Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH), Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
    • Key measures that call for comprehensive reform included:
      • Repealing the mandatory loan program to sugar processors
      • Prohibiting further sugar price supports
      • Eliminating federal mandates and quota controls on sugar
    • Downloads

Congressional Sugar Reform Caucus

The Congressional Sugar Reform Caucus was formed to promote bipartisan dialogue and education regarding legislative, regulatory, and trade issues affecting federal sugar programs and policy. It is co-chaired by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Reps. Joe Pitts (R-PA) and Danny Davis (D-IL).

The Caucus supports:

  • Legislative, regulatory and administrative remedies that will ensure an abundant supply of sugar and save taxpayers and consumers money, while preventing further job losses
  • Domestic and global sugar markets based on efficiency and competition rather than government barriers and subsidies

The Caucus opposes:

  • Special-interest sugar policies, such as restrictive trade barriers, domestic supply or marketing controls and diversion programs

To contact the staff of the Congressional Sugar Reform Caucus, email Carson Middleton (for Congressman Pitts’ office) or Caleb Gilchrist (for Congressman Davis’ office).