[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 174 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S13286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PROGRESS ON THE FARM BILL

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I come to the floor for a couple of 
minutes prior to the time we finish our Senate business for the week 
to, first, compliment the Presiding Officer who has been our floor 
manager on the farm bill now for 1 entire week.
  This afternoon marks 1 complete week of deliberation on the farm 
bill. I know this has not been easy on many, nor easy on the ranking 
member, as they have attempted to deal with the bill itself.
  I compliment the Chair for his outstanding leadership and patience 
and the extraordinary effort he has made to manage this bill in a way 
that accommodated virtually every Senator.
  I am disappointed that we weren't able to achieve cloture on the 
bill. I have indicated that we are going to keep trying to reach that 
point where we can bring debate to a close. I know there are a number 
of other amendments. We accommodated those on the other side of the 
aisle who wish to bring up an alternative to the committee-passed bill, 
the so-called Roberts-Cochran bill.
  I believe we have had a good debate. I hope we can complete our work 
this coming week. I would not want to have to come back after that, but 
we will entertain the possibility of coming back additional days after 
Christmas, if need be, to get this job done. There is nothing that says 
we can't keep coming back until the 23rd of January, if necessary. We 
will look at all the options. But we need to bring this bill to a 
close. As I have said on other occasions, we need to do it for a number 
of reasons. Some of us have outlined those reasons throughout the week.
  I think as we close out the week and mark the fact that we have now 
spent a week on the bill, we remind all colleagues that we have a 
budget window that may close. If that budget window closes and we are 
precluded even by a few billion dollars from dealing with all the needs 
in this bill, what a mistake that would be. What a moment of admission 
of failure that would be. I hope we can avoid doing that and avoid that 
scenario.

  Secondly, I know, based on many conversations the managers and I have 
had and others have had with regard to the continuity, of the need to 
have a clear roadmap on how we transition from Freedom to Farm to 
whatever it is that Congress ultimately passes, something that every 
farmer and rancher would like to know.
  I think that is the reason I got calls again this morning from 
farmers and ranchers in South Dakota who said: Please pass this 
legislation as quickly as you can because we need to know. We need to 
plan.
  There is so much uncertainty in farm legislation as it is. There is 
so much uncertainty with agriculture as it is. To exacerbate that 
uncertainty by refusing to act, or not acting as quickly as we should, 
is compounding the problem unnecessarily.
  We have seen a 75-percent reduction in farm prices since 1996. That 
is a remarkable demonstration of the need to do something now.
  I hasten once again to note the importance of completing our work. I 
also say that as complicated as farm administration is, it is important 
that the Department of Agriculture be given as much lead time to make 
the transition as smoothly as they can.
  There is no question, from a farm income point of view, from a farm 
certainty point of view, from the smoothness in transition point of 
view, and from the budget point of view, one could add more and more 
reasons that it is important for us to finish our work. No one has said 
it more eloquently or passionately than the chairman of the committee, 
my friend from Iowa, Senator Harkin.
  I simply come to the floor to again reiterate that we are determined 
to finish this bill. We are determined to do all we can to finish it 
not only on the floor but in conference. We will do whatever it takes 
to stay, to work, to cooperate, and to find ways to compromise. But it 
has to be a two-way street.
  We have to continue to keep the pressure on. That is certainly my 
intention. I know it is the intention of the distinguished chair of 
committee. It has been 1 week. If necessary, it will be 2 weeks. And, 
if necessary, it will be 3 weeks, or more. But we are going to get this 
bill done.
  I am just reminded that while we have been on the bill for a week, we 
actually made the motion to proceed 2 weeks ago. One could argue that 
we have been on the bill in one form or another for 2 whole weeks 
already. I do not know what the record is, but, clearly, we have a lot 
of work to do. With the holidays coming up, it certainly warrants 
putting all the time and effort we possibly can into getting this job 
done. I know there is interest in doing that.

                          ____________________