[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 125 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H8080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HELP THE AMERICAN FARMER

  (Mr. LATHAM asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the actions that the 
administration has taken in their budget proposal this year with the 
farm crisis going on.
  I spoke yesterday about the $573 million tax increase that they 
propose to put on our livestock farmers who are dying out there today. 
Also, I would like to point out what they are doing to help the grain 
farmer and the person trying to do conservation work.
  In their budget proposal, they want to tax people for the information 
to find out how to comply with the programs. So when you go into the 
NRCS office or you go to the FSA office, bring your checkbook because 
the administration says they are going to charge you to get information 
from you. It is outrageous.
  I would just like to tell the Secretary of Agriculture and this 
administration, they have taken enough out of the hide of the American 
farmer, and they better go to work and try to help them rather than to 
continue to tax them and put them out of business.

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