[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6163-S6164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RELATIVE TO SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 260; I 
further ask that the resolution be considered and agreed to and the 
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements 
relating to this resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 260) was agreed to as follows:

                              S. Res. 260

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

       It is the sense of the Senate that livestock producers who 
     do not qualify for emergency

[[Page S6164]]

     livestock feed assistance for the 1996 crop year, but have 
     incurred feed losses in 1996 due to drought, flooding, or 
     other natural disasters, should receive special consideration 
     for assistance from commodities for the sale of commodities 
     currently available in the disaster reserve established under 
     section 813 of the Agricultural Act of 1970 (7 U.S.C. 1427a). 
     A livestock producer should be eligible to receive the 
     assistance during the period beginning May 1, 1996, and 
     ending not sooner than August 31, 1996.

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, what has just cleared the Senate is a 
very important sense of the Senate that has unanimously passed that 
will help the areas of our country that have been devastated by this 
drought. In fact, this is the Gramm-Hutchison-Domenici-Bingaman 
resolution.
  It says we encourage the Secretary of Agriculture to allow some of 
the counties--because of a regulatory snafu, a technicality--that are 
not now able to apply for livestock feed assistance under its old 
program to do so. The bulk of the counties in New Mexico, Texas, 
Oklahoma, and Kansas that are affected by this will have that 
opportunity. But because of the technicality, they have not been able 
to clear all of the counties. So we are asking the Secretary of 
Agriculture to do this for us. It is very important to the farmers and 
ranchers of these States.
  Mr. President, this drought is hurting not only the farmers and 
ranchers of these States, but the consumers are going to see higher 
prices as well. We are in a situation now where farmers are not able to 
make loans because the drought has caused them either to be unable to 
plant or to be unable to have anything if they have planted. It also 
causes a great hardship on people who are raising cattle. There is no 
feed for the cattle because we have not been able to raise the hay.
  It is a terrible situation, and I just appreciate very much all of my 
colleagues helping us with this sense of the Senate. I hope this will 
encourage the Secretary of Agriculture to help us through this 
technicality and help these farmers and ranchers make it this year so 
they can continue to provide the food and be the breadbasket of America 
next year.

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