[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 129 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H8602-H8603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       GOP RESPONSE TO AG CRISIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Speaker, 2 years ago, this body made a commitment 
to the American farmer. Like a majority of my colleagues, I stood on 
this very floor during that farm bill debate and promised my farmers 
that the Federal Government would walk hand in hand with them as our 
Nation began the transition to a 21st-century-based agricultural 
economy, such an economy that depends less on government and more on 
letting hard-working American farmers and ranchers do their best in 
producing the finest crops and produce in the world.
  Congress and the President must hold true to our pledge and remain 
committed to these free market principles. But, at the same time, the 
Federal Government must recognize that agriculture, more than any other 
sector of the economy, is constantly subject to conditions beyond its 
immediate control.
  Unfortunately, this has been evident in recent years as unprecedented 
weather conditions have pummeled America's farmers, and the effect of 
these conditions upon America's rural communities has been devastating.
  In my home State of Georgia, the most recent study done by the 
University of Georgia places the 1998 crop losses from forces of nature 
beyond the control of farmers in the State of Georgia alone at $767 
million. From flood-soaked cotton last winter to frost-damaged peaches 
this spring to drought-stricken peanuts this summer, not a single crop 
has been spared, and the story is the same all across rural America.
  The deteriorating state of America's farm economy is a national 
priority, and I am pleased to see the leadership of this body stepping 
up to the plate and going to bat for America's farm families. In the 
absence of presidential leadership in addressing the crisis gripping 
our rural communities, the Republican majority has taken immediate 
action to protect our farmers.
  Our $4 billion disaster relief measure will place real money into our 
farmers' hands at a time of great need. This money can now be used to 
pay off past operating loans and help our family farms prepare for the 
future crop years, and this relief package accomplishes this without 
tearing apart the farm bill and its commitments made to farmers.
  Included in the Republican relief measure is 2.25 billion in direct 
payments to farmers whose crops have been damaged by weather-related 
disasters, including special funds targeted to farmers who have 
suffered multi-year crop losses and those suffering severe livestock 
feed losses. The relief package also contains over 1.5 billion in aid 
to assist farmers in dealing with the loss of markets and the Clinton 
administration's inability to keep foreign markets open for our 
farmers.
  This assistance will come in the form of one-time increases in the 
agricultural marketing transition payments under the 1996 farm bill. 
While the damage done by the administration's neglect of agricultural 
trade cannot be fully offset, this assistance will help farmers make it 
through this temporary market turndown. While the House and Senate 
Republicans have had their nose to the grindstone in putting together 
an agriculture relief package, our farmers have only received a cold 
shoulder and hot air from the Clinton administration on this crisis. 
Now all of a sudden it is the fourth quarter, and the administration 
wants to get up off the sidelines and into the game.
  While I do welcome the administration in getting off the bench and 
joining Congress on addressing this extremely important issue, I must 
ask the current administration, where have you been all year long with 
respect to our farmers? In fact, just where has this administration 
been on agriculture for the last 6\1/2\ years?
  When Congress passed the 1996 farm bill and sent it to President 
Clinton for signature into law, we joined American farmers in expecting 
more aggressive trade policies, reduced regulation, lower taxes and 
increased agriculture research funding. Well, what has President 
Clinton given the American farmer? No viable trade policy, increased 
regulations, resistance to tax relief and less funding for agricultural 
research. Furthermore, the President's travels

[[Page H8603]]

have spanned the globe in recent months: China, Europe, Africa, Latin 
America and a number of other countries. But I have yet to see a single 
policy benefiting American agriculture resulting from his continuous 
globe trotting while, on the other hand, Chairman Bob Smith of the 
House Committee on Agriculture has been successful on several different 
trips abroad in selling American farm products to the country that he 
has visited.
  Our farmers need strong leadership in both good times and bad, and 
this administration has failed them miserably. Congress, the President 
and the Federal Government made a commitment to farmers just over 2 
years ago. We can provide our farmers the help we need without turning 
our backs on that commitment. Only the Republican agricultural relief 
proposal accomplishes both, and I encourage my colleagues to do the 
right thing for American farmers and support this relief measure.

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