[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 16 (Tuesday, February 6, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              FAMILY FARM EMERGENCY ENERGY ASSISTANCE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Shows) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SHOWS. Madam Speaker, the unusually cold winter and the dramatic 
increase in heating costs are hurting everybody in my State of 
Mississippi.
  Clearly, we need to encourage more domestic production of oil and 
gas.
  But in Mississippi, we need immediate action, we need help today, 
especially for our region's agriculture industry.
  Some farmers and ranchers have seen their gas bills double and triple 
over the last year. And this is through no fault of their own.
  Our own local economy depends on agricultural production, which is a 
major employer in many of our communities.
  These days the industry has been devastated by the dramatic rise in 
the cost of gas. This may not be a natural disaster, like a tornado or 
a flood, but this is a disaster just the same. This is an economic 
disaster that threatens the very existence of farms throughout our 
region.
  Today I introduced a bill that will provide both immediate and long-
term emergency assistance to our farmers and ranchers. My bill, the 
Family Farm Emergency Energy Assistance Act, will authorize the 
Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants that would not have to be 
repaid to help local agricultural producers deal immediately with 
financial pressures caused by this crisis.
  This bill would also make low-interest loans available to help deal 
with the energy crisis for the months ahead.
  This important legislation needs to be enacted quickly. Our farmers 
need help, and they need it now.
  I am calling upon our leaders in Congress to move this emergency 
assistance bill quickly to passage. I will not rest until the Family 
Farm Emergency Energy Assistance Act becomes law.

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