[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 44 (Wednesday, April 20, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           GRAIN FROM CANADA

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I want to make one additional comment. The 
United States Trade Ambassador Kantor and United States Secretary of 
Agriculture Espy are now prepared to take action against our neighbors 
in Canada for shipping an avalanche, a veritable flood of subsidized 
grain into our country.
  Some colleagues have sent letters of concern and protest, worrying 
about what it might do to other sectors of the economy. I fully 
understand some of those concerns. I do not agree with them. Some say 
the pasta industry might be hurt by this, that, or the other thing.
  The central issue is: Is there unfair trade coming into this country 
with which our producers cannot compete? The answer is clearly ``yes.'' 
We have been the victim of a flood of unfair grain coming in from 
Canada. It has cost our producers, our American family farmers, 
hundreds of millions of dollars in lost income. We ought to expect our 
Agriculture Secretary, our Trade Ambassador, and this President to 
stand up and take action. And for the first time in 5 years, we have an 
administration that has promised us that they will.
  On the 22d of April, this Friday, if negotiations are not 
successful--and they apparently are not the administration has--
promised and pledged to take action. I say that is a major step 
forward. It has taken a couple of years to get somebody in an office 
downtown who will admit there is a problem. It has taken us a long time 
after the admission of the problem to get to a solution. We are finally 
there.
  To my colleagues concerned about other sectors, I say that the price 
of durum wheat goes up and down and back and forth. You do not see the 
price of macaroni in the grocery stores rising up or down with the 
price of durum wheat, because there is very little wheat in macaroni. 
We face a flood of subsidized wheat and barley and other grain from 
Canada, and this administration is finally prepared to take action. 
Again, I understand that some express concern but it is not adequate to 
suggest that anybody should back off this course of action.
  If this country is not willing to stand up and insist on fair trade 
rules from our allies and neighbors, then our producers cannot place 
any credibility in the Federal Government.
  I wanted to say that we are near a point where we will expect and see 
action at the end of this week on behalf of our producers. It is not 
action that is unwarranted or precipitous; it is action that is derived 
from a series of unfair trade positions that the Canadians have taken 
in which they have flooded our country with unfairly subsidized grain. 
I am pleased we are at that point, and I ask my colleagues to consider 
that this stems from injury suffered by too many American family 
farmers for far too long.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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