[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 52 (Wednesday, May 1, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H1998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   BLOATED FARM BILL NEEDS THE KNIFE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will vote on the conference 
report of the farm bill. I think it is important to stand up and 
express opposition to this measure. I think it is probably the worst 
piece of legislation we will vote on this year. It has been called the 
largest expansion of the Federal Government on domestic terms aside 
from military policy in this great society.
  If you look at it over the next 10 years we will be spending, the 
average American family will spend about $1,800 just in taxes to 
support the subsidy payments as part of this farm bill. Above and 
beyond all that, the average American family will spend about $2,500 in 
increased and inflated food prices because of the price supports 
inherent in this bill.
  I grew up on a farm, I am one of 11 children in northern Arizona. And 
one of my more unusual chores growing up was what I called bloat watch. 
I would sit on the top of a hill and overlook the alfalfa field where 
cattle were grazing. And when a critter would assume the ``I'm bloated 
and I cannot get up position,'' I was to rush to the field with a knife 
in hand and stab the critter high on the left side behind the last rib. 
I am sure it was not very pleasant, but it would save the critter's 
life. And silage pent-up gas would spew and rain down all over. But it 
was the only thing that would save the critter.
  It is much like this farm bill. I feel like reaching for my knife 
whenever we debate it. It is bloated bigger than ever, and we have got 
to take some drastic measures to rein it in.
  I think that it is not only bad policy, I think that is accepted by 
just about everyone, but it is bad politics by Republicans. We have 
always stood for freedom as opposed to security. I think it is not 
ironic that the farm bill is replacing the Freedom to Farm Act with the 
Farm Security Act. I think we are going the wrong direction when we do 
this. We have to stand for freedom in all areas. Farmers ought to be 
free for all they want and gain a profit for what they sell, not to be 
told by government how much they can plant and when they can plant it.
  We are moving far, too far away from the free market. I hope we will 
reconsider. I hope if we do not reconsider, that the President is 
waiting with veto pen in hand.




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