[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 20, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        AGRICULTURE IN OKLAHOMA

  (Mr. LUCAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, in most years Rogers and Hammerstein hit the 
nail right on the head when they penned, ``Oklahoma, where the wind 
comes sweeping down the plain, and the waving wheat can sure smell 
sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain.''
  Well, my friends, this is not a typical year. There has been no rain, 
there is no waving wheat, and it seems all we are getting this year is 
the wind. It is dry, my farmers and ranchers are facing another bad 
year, and I am just praying that most of them will make it through this 
tough time.
  Now I know this might not be a proper place to give a Southern Plains 
crop and weather report, but it's the only forum I have got. On 
national agriculture day, we in unison should all tip our hats to the 
men and women that fight the elements to provide us with the cheapest 
and safest food and fiber supplies that this world has ever known. We 
can't bring them rain. But colleagues, we can give them a workable farm 
policy. While I have great faith in the conferees on the farm bill to 
do what is right for American agriculture, I take this floor to urge 
them to work expeditiously to make this happen.

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