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Congressional opposition to Proposition 12

Some members of Congress plan to fight Proposition 12 through legislation after the Supreme Court upheld the California law.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley calls the ruling a major blow to pork producers and consumers and says it can and should be corrected by Congress.

“Justice Gorsuch writing in the majority opinion said Congress has the power to regulate commerce but has yet to adopt a statute to displace Proposition 12.”

Grassley says he plans to support legislative measures that reverse the effects of Prop 12 and “end California’s war on bacon.”

“With the reauthorization of the farm bill this year, Congress has a good opportunity to weigh in. Just like Senator Marshall was weighing in on such a bill last year, even though we didn’t really anticipate the court would rule this way.”

Grassley is referring to Kansas Senator Roger Marshall’s Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act which prohibits state and local government from interfering with the production or manufacture of ag products in other states.