[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8623-S8624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    VOTE JUSTIFICATION--AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 1998

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to explain my votes 
on the fiscal year 1998 appropriations bill. This legislation, which is 
every bit as important as the Farm bill passed by Congress in 1996, was 
acted upon and quickly passed last week.
  The first amendment considered by the Senate was an effort by Senator 
Durbin to deny crop insurance to tobacco growers. This legislation also 
prohibited payments for tobacco under the Non-Insured Disaster 
Assistance Program.
  Mr. President, in fiscal year 1996, the federal government spent $69 
million for net losses on tobacco crop insurance. The dangers of this 
commodity have become abundantly clear in recent years, and while I 
understand that crop insurance is an invaluable tool for today's 
farmers, I am troubled by the government support of a product which is 
responsible for thousands of deaths every year. For that reason, I 
voted against the motion to table the Durbin amendment. Unfortunately, 
the amendment was tabled on a 53-47 vote.
  After this vote, the Senate turned to consideration of a Helms 
amendment to increase the tax on ethanol by 3 cents per gallon. The 
funds raised from this tax were to be set aside to fund an anti-smoking 
trust fund. Regardless of the ultimate destination, this account was to 
be funded by a substantial tax increase on fuel. At a time when 
Americans are already fighting to keep every dollar they earn, I refuse 
to support another tax increase. Therefore, I supported the motion to 
table the Helms amendment and it was overwhelmingly defeated by a 76-24 
margin.
  Shortly after disposing of the Helms amendment, a Harkin amendment to 
increase funding by $29 million for enforcement efforts to prevent kids 
from smoking was debated. The amendment would have fully funded a 
program

[[Page S8624]]

which was established to punish establishments that sell tobacco to 
individuals under 18 years of age. While I support efforts to curb 
underage smoking, this amendment sought to impose a new, $34 million 
dollar tax on smokers. In light of the tobacco tax increase already 
adopted in the budget agreement, and considering the penalties expected 
in the tobacco settlement, I believe Senator Harkin's additional tax 
was excessive and I voted to support the 52-48 tabling vote.
  The next amendment considered was a Bryan amendment to reduce the 
amount of funds appropriated to the Market Access Program [MAP]. 
Identical to the one offered on the fiscal year 1997 appropriations 
bill, the Bryan amendment would have eliminated funding of MAP if the 
aggregate amount of funds and value of commodities under the program 
exceeded $70,000,000. Formerly known as the Market Promotion Program, 
MAP has provided funding for large, lucrative corporations. I believe 
the Market Access Program is a clear example of corporate welfare, and 
I have consistently supported elimination or reduction of this 
unnecessary government subsidy. I supported Senator Bryan's amendment 
which was tabled by a vote of 59-40.
  A vote on a Grams amendment to complete a comprehensive economic 
evaluation of the Northeast Dairy Compact was scheduled to follow the 
Bryan amendment, but was instead adopted by unanimous consent. The 
compact allows dairy producers in the Northeast to artificially set 
minimum prices for dairy products within the region. I have 
consistently opposed the new bureaucracy established by the Compact and 
was pleased to be a cosponsor of the Grams amendment.
  Following disposition of these three amendments, the 1998 Agriculture 
appropriations bill was passed, with my support, by a vote of 99-0. I 
urge the conferees to act quickly to finalize this legislation and once 
again demonstrate America s commitment to its farmers.

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