[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 31, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S587-S588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               AGRICULTURAL MARKET TRANSITION ACT OF 1996

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, may I inquire, what is the pending 
business?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The pending business is S. 1541.


                           Amendment No. 3184

              (Purpose: To provide a substitute amendment)

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I send an amendment to S. 1541 to the desk. 
In doing so, let me say this amendment is in behalf of myself, Senator 
Leahy, Senator Lugar, Senator Breaux, Senator Dole, Senator Johnston, 
Senator Cochran, Senator Graham of Florida, Senator Grassley, Senator 
Jeffords and Senator McConnell.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Idaho [Mr. Craig], for Mr. Leahy, for 
     himself, Mr. Craig, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Dole, Mr. 
     Johnston, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Jeffords 
     and Mr. McConnell, proposes an amendment numbered 3184.

  (The text of the amendment is printed in today's Record under 
``Amendments Submitted.'')


                             CLOTURE MOTION

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the substitute 
     amendment to S. 1541, the farm bill.
         Larry E. Craig, James M. Jeffords, Don Nickles, John H. 
           Chafee, Robert F. Bennett, Thad Cochran, Ted Stevens, 
           Trent Lott, Richard G. Lugar, Craig Thomas, Alan 
           Simpson, John Warner, Larry Pressler, Dan Coats, Connie 
           Mack, Kay Bailey Hutchison.

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, this 
cloture and another one I filed earlier will occur back-to-back 
beginning at 1:30 on Thursday.
  Mr. CRAIG addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho is recognized.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, the amendment that has just been filed for 
Senator Leahy and myself and others is a substitute to S. 1541 as I 
earlier introduced this afternoon. This substitute is an effort to put 
together a bipartisan coalition of Senators with all of us very intent 
on producing farm legislation as soon as possible to do exactly what I 
talked about doing earlier today; that is, sending a clear message to 
the agricultural community of this country as to the certainty and the 
timing of key farm bill legislation. There are a variety of adjustments 
in the substitute--the language which deals with $100 million per year 
in additional mandatory funding for crop-oriented conservation cost-
sharing programs similar to S. 854 that was introduced by Senator Lugar 
and Leahy earlier this year.
  There is a grazing lands conservation initiative program which will 
encourage innovative rangeland management techniques across the 
country. Certainly in my State of Idaho and other States, this can be a 
valuable resource in improving livestock grazing lands. State technical 
commitments would make it possible for farmers to serve on these 
committees where they now do not have standing.
  There are some nutritional reauthorizations that would reauthorize 
food stamps and other nutritional programs for the period of time of 
this legislation. Much of this will be corrected and adjusted when the 
House, the Senate, and the President agree on welfare legislation. 

[[Page S588]]

  There is a Northeast dairy compact provision in there to allow New 
England States to implement a price enhancement compact. We wish we 
could have gone further. The House acted yesterday on dairy 
legislation. Certainly in conference, it is my hope that we can refine 
and clarify dairy policy inside the farm bill for the coming year. The 
dairy industry of our country has worked now for the last 6 months with 
the House and the Senate Agriculture Committees to arrive at a 
compromise that reduces the overall budget profile for dairy programs 
and creates greater flexibility in the program. We hope that can get 
accomplished. Certainly there is a conservation foundation in this 
program that creates a nonprofit foundation to promote conservation. I 
know this has been something Senator Leahy has worked at for a good 
number of years.
  There is legislation in here also to deal with wetlands and the 
Florida Everglades issue. There is a concern that I will express for 
the Record that deals with this section as it applies to the program 
and the restoration of these vital wetlands in Florida. There is a 
provision for eminent domain. I think it is very important that the 
Record show that this Senator and many others recognize that authority 
of the Government, but also recognize under a former Executive order on 
March 15, 1988, signed by President Reagan, that Federal departments 
and agencies must consider the takings implication and deal with 
willing seller-willing buyer. I certainly, through the balance of this 
legislation, activities, debate, and in the conference, will work with 
the Senators from Florida to assure that in all instances we have a 
willing seller-willing buyer relationship as the State of Florida and 
the Senators from that State work to maintain the Florida Everglades 
and any consideration there with private property acquisition for the 
purpose of enhancement of the Everglades. All of us want to see that 
valuable natural resource protected. But at the same time, it is very 
important that the right of the private property owner be maintained.

  Mr. President, I chair the Private Property Rights Caucus here on the 
Hill. We just brought out of the Judiciary Committee the private 
property rights bill that I think is sweeping in its protection of 
private property rights. It sets the Government on notice. Certainly 
this legislation, if that act would become law, would fall subject to 
that new law. That would be important.

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