,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #fdb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,october #ah1       
#bjai,mr4 ,blumenauer 7for himself and  
,mr4 ,zeldin7 submitted the following   
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,ways and ,means          
,,resolution  ,recognizing the          
contributions of ,american ,viticultural
 ,areas and wine-growing regions4       
,whereas wineries and vintners in the   
,united ,states contribute to the       
economic and cultural life of the       
,nation2 ,whereas the economic          
contributions of wineries and vintners  
in the ,united ,states is significant   
and expansive1 attributable to the      
activities of growers1 suppliers1       
researchers1 marketers1 wholesalers1    
distributors1 and retailers1 among      
others2 ,whereas the ,american wine     
industry is estimated to have generated1
 directly and indirectly1 more than #bai
 billion for the ,united ,states economy
 in #bjag2 ,whereas there are more than 

#aj1jjj wineries operating in all #ej   
,states2 ,whereas many of these wineries
 are small businesses and family owned2 
,whereas the wine industry directly     
employs nearly #a million people in the 
,united ,states and supports nearly     
#cjj1jjj jobs in industries that supply 
goods and services to winegrowers and   
wineries2 ,whereas the wages earned by  
those directly employed by wineries and 
the wine industry totaled more than #cc 
billion in #bjag2 ,whereas wineries and 
wine regions not only drive economic    
activity through the production1        
distribution1 and sale of wine but also 
attract substantial tourism-related     
interest and spending2 ,whereas wine    
regions in the ,united ,states each year
 host more than #dc million tourists and
 generate nearly #ah billion in tourism 
expenditures2 ,whereas wine tourism     
supported #cge1jjj jobs that paid more  
than #aj billion in wages in #bjag2     
,whereas ,american ,viticultural ,areas 
7,a,v,as7 are designated wine-growing   

regions in the ,united ,states that have
 distinguishing features affecting      
viticulture1 including climate1 geology1
 soils1 physical features1 and          
elevation2 ,whereas the first ,american 
,viticultural ,area was approved on     
,june #bj1 #aihj1 for ,augusta1         
,missouri1 and1 as of ,october #aa1     
#bjai1 there have been #bdc ,american   
,viticultural ,areas established in the 
,united ,states2 ,whereas at least #he  
percent of a wine must be derived from  
grapes grown within the boundaries of   
the area in order to use the ,,ava name 
on its label2 ,whereas an ,,ava         
designation allows vintners to describe 
more accurately the origin of their     
wines1 and helps them build and enhance 
the reputation and value of the wines   
they produce2 ,whereas an ,,ava         
designation allows consumers to         
attribute a given quality1 reputation1  
or other characteristic to a wine made  
from grapes grown in that area1 and     
helps them identify wines they wish to  

purchase2 ,whereas appellations of      
origin1 such as ,,ava designations1 can 
assist ,american wine producers in      
establishing distinctive ,american place
 names in global markets and can create 
valuable export opportunities2 ,whereas 
wine exports generated more than #a4di  
billion for ,united ,states producers   
last year1 a threefold increase over the
 past #bj years2 ,whereas once an       
,american ,viticulture ,area term1 or   
other appellation of origin1 is         
protected in a foreign country1 it helps
 vintners effectively promote their     
products and increase awareness of their
 region2 ,whereas the ,united ,states   
wine industry is growing and accounts   
for #aj percent of global wine          
production2 ,whereas ,american          
wine-growing regions and wine growers   
have contributed not only to the        
economic prosperity of the ,nation but  
have also enhanced its cultural prestige
 by developing and sharing with the     
world their internationally recognized  

wines2 ,whereas ,american consumers have
 benefitted from the rich diversity and 
extraordinary quality of ,american wines
 and wine-growing regions2 and ,whereas 
responsibly enjoying wine often serves  
to enhance the richness of life and     
bring together more closely family and  
friends3 ,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that  
the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7   
recognizes the significant contributions
 to the economic and cultural life of   
the ,nation made by ,american wines and 
distinctive ,american wine-growing      
regions2  7#b7 recognizes the value     
created in domestic and foreign markets 
by promoting wines from distinctive     
,american wine-growing regions1         
including those protected by ,american  
,viticultural ,area designations or     
other appellations of origin2 and  7#c7 
supports efforts to promote awareness of
 and appreciation for distinctive       
,american wine-growing regions in the   
,united ,states and abroad4