I
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6977
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2020
Mr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself, Ms. Craig, Mr. Hagedorn, and Mr. Fortenberry) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To provide overtime and holiday fee relief for small meat, poultry, and egg processing plants, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Small Packer Overtime and Holiday Fee Relief for COVID–19 Act of 2020
.
Overtime and holiday fee relief for small meat, poultry, and egg processing plants
Definitions
In this section:
Covered act
The term covered Act means—
the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.); and
the Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq.).
Establishment
The term establishment means—
a meat establishment subject to the requirements of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
a poultry establishment subject to the requirements of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.); and
an egg products processing plant subject to the requirements of the Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq.).
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
Small establishment; very small establishment
The terms small establishment and very small establishment have the meaning given those terms in the final rule entitled Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems
(61 Fed. Reg. 38806 (July 25, 1996)).
Overtime and holiday fees
In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for an inspection of an establishment conducted pursuant to a covered Act, the Secretary shall discount the rate charged—
by not less than 30 percent of the overtime and holiday published rate in the case of a small establishment; and
by not less than 75 percent of the overtime and holiday published rate in the case of a very small establishment.
Rulemaking; retroactive implementation
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall—
complete a rulemaking establishing the discounted rates required under paragraph (1); and
implement those discounted rates to apply retroactively to the date of enactment of this Act.
Effectiveness
The Secretary—
shall carry out subsection (b) until the funds appropriated under subsection (d) are expended; and
may carry out subsection (b) after those funds are expended only to the extent and in the amount provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
Funding
There is appropriated to the Secretary, out of funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $58,000,000, to remain available until expended, to carry out subsection (b).
