[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 71 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2987-H2988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF FARM PROGRAMS

  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 2954) to amend Public Law 110-196 to provide for a 
temporary extension of programs authorized by the Farm Security and 
Rural Investment Act of 2002 beyond May 2, 2008.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.

[[Page H2988]]

  The text of the Senate bill is as follows:

                                S. 2954

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF AGRICULTURAL 
                   PROGRAMS AND SUSPENSION OF PERMANENT PRICE 
                   SUPPORT AUTHORITIES.

       Effective April 25, 2008, section 1 of Public Law 110-196 
     (122 Stat. 653) (as amended by Public Law 110-200 (122 Stat. 
     695) and Public Law 110-205 (122 Stat. 713)) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``May 2, 2008'' and 
     inserting ``May 16, 2008''; and
       (2) in subsection (d), by striking ``May 2, 2008'' and 
     inserting ``May 16, 2008''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this 2-week extension 
of the current farm bill. The conferees have been working hard, 
particularly Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Goodlatte, and the 
chairman and ranking member in the other body. And we can see the light 
at the end of the tunnel, but we still need some additional time to dot 
all the I's and cross all the T's, as we try to prepare the American 
people for a sound farm policy over the next several years. I think 
that we are going to present a farm bill to this body and to the 
American people that will do just that. I think this will gain 
overwhelming support in both bodies and will be signed by the President 
of the United States.
  In the commodity title, we will not only sustain our safety net, but 
we will see significant reform. In the conservation title, where I have 
the privilege of chairing the subcommittee, along with Mr. Lucas who is 
the ranking member, we will see significantly more investment of about 
$4 billion into our conservation programs. And, in nutrition, which has 
been so important to our leadership, we will see an additional $10 
billion in investment in nutrition programs.
  And, finally on the energy title; we hear so much talk about our need 
to be less dependent upon foreign energy, we need to step up to the 
plate and do something. We should have done it years ago. But we cannot 
let this farm bill go without having a significant investment in 
energy. And we are proud of the work that we have been able to do on 
the energy title, particularly in the area of cellulosic ethanol. We 
think that we are going to have a program that is going to allow us to 
begin to wean ourselves off the dependency upon foreign energy.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I believe that the conferees are working hard, they 
are making significant progress, but we need a little bit more time to 
accomplish our product.
  I urge support.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  I rise in support of the temporary farm bill extension that will 
extend some of the provisions of the 2002 farm bill so that the 
conferees can attempt to finalize this bill. I share my colleague's 
perspective over there. I think progress has been made, and we need to 
bring this to a conclusion.
  With that, I urge my colleagues to support this farm bill extension 
so that that work can be accomplished.

                              {time}  1345

  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 2954.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________