,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #begj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bg1     
#bjbc,mr4 ,braun 7for himself and ,mr4  
,fetterman7 introduced the following    
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,agriculture1      
,nutrition1 and ,forestry  ,a ,,bill    
,to amend the ,agricultural ,trade ,act 
of #aigh to provide technical assistance
 to improve infrastructure in foreign   
markets for ,united ,states agricultural
 commodities4  #a4 ,short title ,this   
,act may be cited as the ,fortifying    
,refrigeration ,infrastructure and      
,developing ,global ,exports ,act of    
#bjbc or the ,,fridge ,act of #bjbc4    
#b4 ,findings ,congress finds that--    
7#a7 #a of the largest limiting factors 
to growing export markets for ,united   
,states food and agriculture products is
 insufficient infrastructure            
capabilities2  7#b7 current trade       
programs are focused on promoting       
specific commodities or products1 all of

 which are reliant on a functioning     
supply chain2  7#c7 there is a need for 
dedicated resources to focus on supply  
chain enhancement in developing         
countries to enable market expansion and
 diversification2  7#d7 each year1      
billions of tons of fresh and frozen    
food products and millions of dollars'  
worth of ,united ,states exports are    
lost due to poor cold chain systems in  
developing markets2 and  7#e7           
strengthening global infrastructure     
plays an important role in promoting    
trade1 reducing food loss and waste1 and
 improving nutrition4  #c4 ,technical   
assistance to improve infrastructure in 
foreign markets for ,united ,states     
agricultural commodities ,section       
#bjc7;c7 of the ,agricultural ,trade    
,act of #aigh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #efbc7;c77  
is amended by adding at the end the     
following3  7#d7 ,technical assistance  
to improve infrastructure in foreign    
markets for ,united ,states agricultural
 commodities  7,a7 ,in general ,as part 

of the program established under this   
subsection1 the ,secretary shall enter  
into contracts or other agreements with 
eligible trade organizations to provide 
needs assessment1 training1 and other   
technical assistance-- 7i7 to enhance   
the capabilities of infrastructure in   
new and developing foreign markets1     
including infrastructure relating to    
cold chain capacity1 port improvements1 
and other developments2 and  7ii7 to    
ensure ,united ,states agricultural     
commodities are not damaged or lost due 
to deficiencies in the infrastructure   
described in clause 7i74  7,b7          
,authorization of appropriations  7i7   
,in general ,there is authorized to be  
appropriated to carry out this paragraph
 #a1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years    
#bjbd through #bjbh4  7ii7 ,rule of     
construction ,except as provided in     
clause 7iii71 amounts authorized to be  
appropriated under this subparagraph may
 be used only to carry out subparagraph 
7,a74  7iii7 ,availability ,amounts     

authorized to be appropriated under this
 subparagraph that are not used to carry
 out subparagraph 7,a7 may be used to   
carry out the program established under 
this subsection4  4