[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 22, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H8473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEFEAT H.R. 1402, CONSOLIDATION OF MILK MARKETING ORDERS

  (Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, for 62 years dairy farmers in the upper 
Midwest have been placed at a competitive disadvantage. For 62 years we 
have received less for our milk simply because we are closer to Eau 
Claire, Wisconsin. No other product in America is priced based on where 
it comes from and what it goes into, only milk.
  In response to this, a couple of years ago Congress authorized the 
Secretary of Agriculture to come up with modest reforms. Dairy farmers 
have spoken. They voted in a plebescite to endorse Secretary Glickman's 
modest proposal.
  Mr. Speaker, out in the Midwest we have an expression: A deal is a 
deal; and a bargain is a bargain.
  The farmers have spoken, but unfortunately we are going to have a 
great debate today to undo those modest reforms.
  Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please as we listen to this debate today, 
we should vote our consciences, not the special interests, defeat H.R. 
1402.

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