[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 125 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H8079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H8079]]
                RELIEF FOR AMERICA'S STRUGGLING FARMERS

  (Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, yesterday afternoon I joined the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Bob Smith) and the Speaker of the House in 
announcing a much needed relief package for America's struggling 
farmers. This $3.9 billion package is a broad-based attempt to help all 
producers throughout this Nation who have suffered from both low prices 
and natural disasters.
  The package includes $2.25 billion that will be used to address crop 
disaster losses and $1.65 billion that will go to farmers eligible for 
Freedom to Farm contracts.
  I was thoroughly disappointed, though, in the lukewarm response our 
package received from our Nation's Secretary of Agriculture. His 
promotion of a more limited package that has failed in the Senate 4 
times is alarming.
  Mr. Secretary, please give our package a fair view. Take partisan 
gamesmanship out of the equation. Substance must take precedent over 
rhetoric. And by the way, I would urge you to use the Export 
Enhancement Program. In the last 3 years you have sat on over $1 
billion that should be used to open world markets to our producers. The 
time to act is now.

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