[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 055 (Monday, April 7, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S4915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE OF DEPARTMENT OF 
                              AGRICULTURE

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 106, which was 
submitted earlier today by Senator Cochran.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 106) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate with respect to the 50th anniversary of the Foreign 
     Agricultural Service of the Department of Agriculture.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and that any statements relating to this matter be printed 
in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 106) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 106

       Whereas during the term of President Dwight David 
     Eisenhower and the era of Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft 
     Benson, it became apparent that the development of external 
     markets was needed to ensure the financial viability of the 
     agricultural sector of the United States;
       Whereas the Foreign Agricultural Service was established on 
     March 10, 1953, to develop and expand markets for United 
     States agricultural commodities and products;
       Whereas the Foreign Agricultural Service has represented 
     agricultural interests of the United States during a period 
     of expansion of United States agricultural exports from less 
     than $3,000,000,000 in 1953 to more than $50,000,000,000 in 
     2002; and
       Whereas the number of organizations engaged in the public 
     and private partnership established by the Foreign 
     Agricultural Service to promote United States agricultural 
     exports has grown from 1 organization in 1955 to more than 80 
     organizations in 2003, with market development and expansion 
     occurring in nearly every global marketplace: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the 
     Foreign Agricultural Service on March 10, 1953, recognizes 
     the Service for--
       (A) cooperating with, and leading, the United States 
     agricultural community in developing and expanding export 
     markets for United States agricultural commodities and 
     products;
       (B) identifying the private partners capable of carrying 
     out the mission of the Service;
       (C) identifying and expanding markets for United States 
     agricultural commodities and products;
       (D) introducing innovative and creative ways of expanding 
     the markets;
       (E) providing international food assistance to feed the 
     hungry worldwide;
       (F) addressing unfair barriers to United States 
     agricultural exports;
       (G) implementing strict procedures governing the use and 
     evaluation of programs and funds of the Service; and
       (H) overseeing the use of taxpayers dollars to carry out 
     programs of the Service; and
       (2) declares that March 10, 2003, is a day recognizing--
       (A) the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the 
     Foreign Agricultural Service; and
       (B) the contributions of the Foreign Agricultural Service 
     and employees and partners of the Service to agriculture in 
     the United States.

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