[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 54 (Tuesday, April 20, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H2149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        STATE OF MONTANA WANTS TO BE PART OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

  (Mr. HILL of Montana asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HILL of Montana. Mr. Speaker, every day it seems that we get some 
good economic news: Unemployment is down, incomes are up, the stock 
market at a new high. But in parts of America that are not doing so 
well, my colleague from North Dakota often comes to the floor and talks 
about the increase, the record number of farm bankruptcies in his home 
State.
  My home State of Montana now ranks last in the Nation with average 
income. Why has rural America been left out of this economic 
prosperity? Well, it is because our economy relies on agriculture and 
timber and mining and oil and gas, commodities, and it is because this 
administration has failed to pursue fair trade policies.
  This administration has pursued extreme environmental policies that 
lock up our public land and our natural resources, and this 
administration has neglected the importance of international markets.
  Mr. Speaker, we do not want to be left out. We want to be part of 
this prosperous economy, but we need common sense. We need a common 
sense agriculture policy. We need a common sense environmental policy. 
We need a common sense trade policy.
  Mr. Speaker, bring us into this new economic prosperity.

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