[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 86 (Friday, June 30, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           H.R. 4461, AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FY 2001

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                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 28, 2000

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the rule to 
H.R. 4461, Appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for FY 
2001. Unfortunately, I must oppose the rule because the legislation 
severely undercuts major initiatives for the farming community.
  The bill reported by committee cuts the funds requested by the 
President for curbing monopolistic pricing practices in the food 
industry. These practices are becoming a matter of considerable concern 
in the agricultural sector and are viewed by many farmers as a major 
factor in the continued depression of farm commodity prices.
  Like my colleagues, I am concerned that we must restore economic 
health to American farms. To do that, we must curb the rapid expansion 
of monopolistic practices that plague many sectors of the food 
industry. A disproportionate amount of companies control cattle 
purchases, beef processes, and wholesale marketing. And in merely 5 
years, we have seen the margin between the price paid by farmers and 
the wholesale price of beef jump by 24 percent. Don't we owe more to 
the American farmer?
  The administration requested $7.1 million for the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's Grain, Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA) to investigate market concentration in agriculture and bring 
legal actions to stop anti-competitive behavior and other abusive 
practices. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership on the House 
Appropriations provided less than 20 percent of the requested funds. 
Such action casts considerable doubt on the administration's initiative 
to curb antitrust violations by some companies. We can do better, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Some of my colleagues have already emphasized that the U.S. 
Department of Justice cannot bring antitrust action against these 
corporations giants because federal law reserves that responsibility 
for the Department of Agriculture. At the same time, no one has ever 
given the Agriculture Department adequate resources to meet its 
antitrust responsibilities.
  In addition, the bill rejects the administration's request for FDA's 
tobacco program. Unfortunately, some still oppose the FDA's valid 
jurisdiction to include the regulation of tobacco. This is regrettable 
and ill-advised at this time. At times, there are those who seek to 
entangle controversial issues that should not be contained in an 
appropriations measure. This is one of those times.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the legislation.

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