[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 60 (Monday, May 13, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4247-S4248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           THE NEW FARM BILL

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, this morning the President signed the new 
farm bill into law. We worked long and hard on that. It was a long, 
tortured trail to get it done, but the importance of it cannot be 
understated.
  In North Dakota, for example, the difference between the first 
Freedom to

[[Page S4248]]

Farm bill--the current law--and this new farm bill is over $270 million 
in additional assistance during collapsed prices to family farmers. 
Now, that help is not just for family farmers; it shows up on many of 
our main streets and supports our jobs in a rural State such as North 
Dakota.
  I cannot say strongly enough how important this bill is. It took us 
too long to get done, but it is done. I appreciate the work that all of 
us did together and the cooperation in the final analysis to get it to 
the President. I am pleased and relieved that this morning, finally, 
this bill is now signed into law.

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