[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 35 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S2030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             THE FARM BILL

  Mr. DORGAN. I seek the floor--and I would not have done it had other 
Members wanted to continue on this bill--for 2 minutes to say that we 
are dealing with a lot of important issues in the Senate on this 
continuing appropriations bill, but there is another issue that is of 
enormous importance to North Dakota and to the farm belt. That is the 
farm bill which is now in conference.
  I want very much, now that conferees are appointed, for them to work 
around the clock in order to resolve the differences on the farm bill, 
bring it to the floor of the House and Senate and get a farm bill in 
place.
  The fact is, farmers in North Dakota, tens of thousands of them, are 
now ready to go to the fields. In a matter of weeks, they will be in 
the fields doing spring planting. The farm bill that was supposed to 
have been passed last year was not. It is now mid-March 1996, and we do 
not yet have a farm bill.
  I have discerned that really if this is a revolution in the 104th 
Congress, it is a revolution with two speeds: One is a full gallop when 
it comes to the larger economic interests. Let Wall Street have a 
headache, and we have a dozen people rushing in with medicine bottles. 
Let some of the larger corporate interests complain about a bellyache, 
and we have people who want to tuck them in bed. But let family farmers 
out there go around without a farm bill and people say there is no need 
for a farm program; we do not need to get a farm bill for the family 
farmer. There is slow motion in dealing with issues family farmers need 
dealt with.
  Farmers in North Dakota and Kansas and South Dakota, Nebraska need to 
understand what is the farm program. What are the conditions under 
which they will plant this spring? Will there be a safety net or will 
there not be a safety net? I would like Congress to provide that 
answer, and I would like them to provide that answer sooner rather than 
later.
  A couple of weeks ensued when the House was in recess after the 
Senate passed its bill and a number of weeks lapsed while we were 
waiting for conferees to be appointed. It is time for the conference 
now that it is established to start working around the clock and get 
this done. It ought not take a long period of time.

  Farmers deserve an answer. I know that each individual farmer does 
not have a lot of economic clout, and I guess that is why we do not see 
the rush to serve their needs like we see when some of the larger 
economic interests float around this institution.
  I hope very soon the conference will convene and the conference will 
complete its work, bring its work to the Congress, and tell the family 
farmers of this country what will be the farm bill for 1996. This 
Congress owes that to the farmers, and farmers deserve to hear it.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time?
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I make a point of order that a quorum is 
not present.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. 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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