[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            WHEN IT COMES TO AGRICULTURE, LOOK AT THE FACTS

  (Mr. de la GARZA asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. de la GARZA. Madam Speaker, let me change the tone here briefly 
and get away from all of the rhetoric that we have heard and the 
ostrich and all of that. I do not think this will enlighten in any way 
the American people.
  Madam Speaker, I am here to address agriculture, that agriculture is 
in trouble and we are having no assistance, no help from all of those 
people on my left that are worried about what is happening to Medicare 
and Medicaid. I am worried about what is happening to Medicare and 
Medicaid. We need to address the fraud and the abuse. If you just made 
every hospital play it straight and be honest, you would not have to 
cut and tax and also to add burdens to our seniors. I have a very poor 
district, and we cannot afford to pay more. We need to work it out.
  But let me say one thing, I am frustrated. The board of trustees of 
the Democrats? Where do you get that? Read the law. Find out who named 
them. They were Bush's trustees. They were Reagan's trustees. And for 
someone to fix up little pair paper and come and read it and to say the 
President's board of trustees.


                           agriculture policy

  Madam Speaker, I am here today to express my concerns and clear up 
some fallacies in regard to Agriculture and Agriculture programs 
generally. I am very disturbed about the recent attacks on Agriculture 
from people within the Agriculture community who should know better, 
and from those outside the Agriculture community who jeopardize the 
national security of our Nation by their ignorance of Agriculture 
policy.
  First, I would like to take this opportunity to examine the facts, 
outside the editorials, which daily attack the most successful farm 
sector in the world.

     1995 Estimated total Federal spending: $1.531 Trillion
     1995 Estimated farm income support programs: $9.8 Billion 
         (0.6% of Federal spending)
     1994 Export of farm products: $43.5 Billion
     1994 Net farm exports: $17.1 Billion
     Cost of food for--
       Average American: 10% of earned income
       Average Japanese: 19% of earned income
       Average Russian: 30% of earned income

  These figures are the cold, hard, unvarnished, facts. Outside the 
rhetoric, and outside the debate, nothing but the facts.
  In spite of these successes, you still hear critics of the farm 
programs say that the system isn't working. To them I say: Examine your 
facts.
  Second, I must take issue with the process in which we are now 
engaged on the Agriculture Committee. Never have I seen a process that 
is so designed to not only reach a specific, dictated policy outcome, 
but to also keep the results of that dictated policy from the very 
people whom it would effect most.
  The committee has held no hearing on the ``Freedom to Farm'' policy. 
If Agriculture and the American public are supposed to benefit from the 
implementation of this policy, why not have a hearing and let them 
voice their support, concerns, or opposition. Let us make these changes 
in the light with understanding and knowledge, not in the dark with 
misconception and ignorance.
  The imperial leadership has said to the committee members, on both 
sides of the aisle, your expertise in Agriculture policy is irrelevant, 
either you pass the so-called Freedom to Farm or else. What is the ``or 
else'' that farmers and ranchers are now facing? It is threats of 
retaliation against Members who voted their district interests over the 
dictates of the leadership and the elimination of the Congress on 
Agriculture.
  All these threats and intimidation are because the committee had a 
serious bipartisan disagreement over an option of farm policy. I say 
``option'' because that is what ``Freedom to Farm'' is. It is merely 
one policy option that Members can enact to effectuate change in farm 
policy. It is not the only option, merely one. Anyone who thinks that 
it is the only way to bring change to farm programs has a very twisted 
and distorted view of agricultural policy.
  Third, I oppose the imposition of additional unneeded cuts on 
agriculture just because the leadership wants to enact a $250 billion 
tax cut. Democrats in committee voted for an alternative that would 
save $4.4 billion and meet the reconciliation goals set out in the 
earlier reconciliation package offered by Democrats. This package 
balanced the budget in 7 years. $13.4 billion in cuts is not needed if 
we drop the $250 billion tax cut.
  To my colleagues who demand a tax cut, I say, I like tax cuts also. 
Tax cuts make you popular. However, we are not up here to win a 
popularity contest we are sent up here by our constituents to govern 
responsibly. Let's come together to balance the budget and then we can 
come together and hand out goodies.
  Fourth, let the editorials stop and check their facts and give thanks 
for the American farmer. They can afford, from their well fed position, 
to be critical of programs of which they know nothing. The European 
Community spends six times more on their farmers than we spend in the 
United States. Instead of trying to unilaterally disarm American 
farmers, they should be writing editorials in praise of them.
  One egregious example of their ignorance is writing that we do not 
allow producers to plant wheat, corn, cotton, rice, etc. This is 
ludicrous. These programs are voluntary. A farmer can plant anything he 
wants outside the program. The program merely provides for those 
farmers who desire it, the choice to participate and minimize their 
risk. If we are going to be critical of these programs, if we are going 
to demand change, if we want real reform, then we must do it with 
knowledge and not rhetoric.
  Let us give thanks for the American farmer, the envy of the world. It 
is not right for us to criticize the very hand that feeds us. Let us 
join with them to continue to make American agriculture the success it 
is today.

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