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Hoeven, Stabenow to introduce voluntary country-of-origin labeling act Thursday

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., have scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. Thursday to announce the introduction of their Voluntary Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) Act of 2015.

Co-sponsoring the bill are Sens. John Thune, R-S.D.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.; and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

The list of sponsors – and the absence of others, including Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan. – appear to signal that the bill has the support of senators who are long-time advocates of labeling.

But the fact that seven senators are introducing this bill signals that it would be difficult for advocates of repeal to gather the 60 senators needed to end debate on that measure.