[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H6190-H6191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE DISPOSE OF REMAINING 
                    COMMODITIES IN DISASTER RESERVE

  Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
the Committee on Agriculture be discharged from further consideration 
of the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 63) to express the 
sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture should dispose of 
all remaining commodities in the disaster reserve maintained under the 
Agricultural Act of 1970 to relieve the distress of livestock producers 
whose ability to maintain livestock is adversely affected by disaster 
conditions existing in certain areas of the United States, such as 
prolonged drought or flooding, and for other purposes, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lazio of New York). Is there objection 
to the request of the gentleman from Nebraska?

                              {time}  1100

  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I will not 
object, and I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Barrett] for an 
explanation of the Senate concurrent resolution.
  Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, this is more or less a 
housekeeping chore, albeit a very important one. Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 63 is the Senate version of House Concurrent Resolution 181, 
which passed the

[[Page H6191]]

House by voice vote on June 4. The Senate unanimously passed Senate 
Concurrent Resolution 63 on June 5. The Senate resolution is identical 
to the House resolution, as amended.
  With this action today, we will officially send to Agriculture 
Secretary Dan Glickman our desire for him to immediately release the 45 
million bushels of feed grains held in reserve. The release of this 
grain will not solve the current crisis for cattlefeeders, but it will 
help and possibly be enough to get some through an extremely severe 
drought and save their operations.
  Farmers who own livestock are being severely hard hit with the 
drought conditions, when coupled with a low point in the cattle cycle, 
and record high grain prices.
  The grain in this disaster reserve, nearly 45 million bushels, is 
worth an estimated $200 million and would provide for all the cattle on 
feed in the affected States enough feed grain for over 2 weeks.
  Passage of the resolution not only makes sense, it saves money. The 
Federal Government is currently spending $10 million a year to store 
this grain.
  The Government should not be paying huge storage fees and holding 
grain from the marketplace when the United States is experiencing 
record low grain supplies.
  This is an important concurrent resolution and I thank the leadership 
for providing for its swift consideration.
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his explanation.
  (Mr. STENHOLM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 63, which is nearly identical to the legislation passed by 
this body last week, House Concurrent Resolution 181, introduced by my 
colleagues on the Agriculture Committee, Mr. Barrett and Mr. Emerson, 
and cosponsored by a number of other Members.
  As was noted last week, the Clinton administration has been working 
on a similar effort to make Government-owned feed grain stocks 
available to hard-pressed livestock producers. Secretary Glickman 
transmitted to the President a request last week for the declaration of 
a state of emergency to allow the Department of Agriculture to dispose 
of the feed grain stocks under USDA's control.
  There is no doubt that there is a need to alleviate the stress facing 
producers in many parts of this country due to the severe drought in 
the Southern Plains and flooding and excessive rainfall in the Northern 
Plains and eastern Corn Belt. These natural disasters come at a time 
when grain stocks are at their lowest levels in decades causing record 
market prices and cattle producers are receiving even less for their 
animals than during the Great Depression based on inflation-adjusted 
dollars.

  The release of this grain would be in addition to the actions already 
taken by the Clinton administration to help alleviate the stress in the 
livestock sector. These actions include: Release of Conservation 
Reserve Program acres for haying and grazing, extension of noninsured 
crop disaster assistance program coverage, extension of the Livestock 
Feed Program, the release of additional funds for emergency loans, 
advance purchases of beef for the school lunch program, and export 
credit guarantees for meat.
  In my own State of Texas we are facing losses in the livestock and 
crop sectors in the billions of dollars. Sixty-two percent of our 
rangeland is rated as being in poor to very poor condition and dairy 
producers in Texas are facing a possible doubling of their normal feed 
costs due to the increases in the cost of feed and hay they must 
utilize to produce milk each day.
  I would encourage my colleagues to support this resolution. The 
livestock sector in our country contributes billions of dollars to our 
economy and if we do not take actions to help stem the liquidation of 
herds now, we will pay the price later for rebuilding that 
infrastructure.
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lazio of New York). Is there objection 
to the request of the gentleman from Nebraska?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 63

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF DISASTER RESERVE FOR ASSISTANCE TO 
                   LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS.

       In light of the prolonged drought and other adverse weather 
     conditions existing in certain areas of the United States, 
     the Secretary of Agriculture should promptly dispose of all 
     commodities in the disaster reserve maintained under section 
     813 of the Agricultural Act of 1970 (7 U.S.C. 1427a) to 
     relieve the distress of livestock producers whose ability to 
     maintain livestock is adversely affected by disaster 
     conditions, such as prolonged drought of flooding.

  The Senate concurrent resolution was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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