[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 131 (Friday, October 1, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                AGRICULTURAL RISK PROTECTION ACT OF 1999

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                               speech of

                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wedmesday, September 29, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2559) to 
     amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act, to strengthen the 
     safety net for Agricultural producers by providing greater 
     access to more affordable risk management tools and improve 
     protection from production and income loss, to improve the 
     efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance 
     program, and for other purposes;

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Chairman, this Member rises in strong support of 
H.R. 2559, the Agricultural Risk Protection Act, which provides for the 
reform of our Federal crop insurance program, and urges his colleagues 
to vote for it.
  This Member would like to begin by expressing appreciation to the 
distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest), the Chairman of the 
Agriculture Committee, and the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Stenholm), the Ranking Member of the Committee, for their assistance in 
expediting this legislation. This Member would also like to express his 
sincere appreciation to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Ewing), the Chairman of the Risk Management Subcommittee, and the 
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Condit) the Ranking Member 
of the Subcommittee, for their assistance with this legislation.
  As an original cosponsor of H.R. 2559, this Member is pleased that 
this important legislation is being considered today. Agricultural 
producers throughout the country continue to suffer from disastrously 
low commodity prices and in some regions from adverse weather 
conditions. Clearly, an emergency agriculture relief package is needed 
immediately. Producers are in desperate need of a quick infusion of 
cash to help them deal with low prices and increasing costs. However, 
as important as that relief is, it is only a temporary fix. A long-term 
approach is needed.
  This Member believes that H.R. 2559 is an important component of that 
long-term approach. It is certainly not the only solution to current 
problems, but it does provide a more adequate safety net to farmers who 
are too often confronted with natural disasters and low prices.
  The Agricultural Risk Protection Act will make crop insurance 
coverage more affordable at every level. It will offer producers 
significant incentives to purchase higher levels of protection and 
provide farmers with the flexibility to purchase the coverage that best 
meets their needs.
  It is important to note that this crop insurance reform bill also 
improves the current risk management structure by providing better 
coverage for both production and revenue. It does so by making possible 
more affordable policies to protect farmers against price and income 
loss. The legislation also initiates a livestock pilot program to test 
the effectiveness of risk management tools to protect livestock 
producers.
  This Member's constituents have made it clear that crop insurance is 
a necessary risk management tool. Unfortunately, it is often too 
expensive or offers too little protection to be of real value. This 
legislation takes these concerns into account and offers agricultural 
producers what they need--meaningful and more affordable crop 
insurance.
  This Member urges his colleagues to vote for H.R. 2559.

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