[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 88 (Wednesday, June 19, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H3770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUGAR REFORM IS NEEDED

  (Mr. DesJARLAIS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, the current United States sugar program 
is a clear example of government intrusion into a market. Nowhere is 
there a larger gap between the U.S. Government's free-trade rhetoric 
and its protectionist practices than in our sugar policy.
  The most prominent argument I hear from the other side is this 
program is of no cost to the taxpayers. That simply isn't true. It was 
reported yesterday the USDA intends to purchase sugar off the domestic 
market, costing taxpayers nearly $38 million. The government then plans 
to sell this sugar at a loss to ethanol companies. And who is 
ultimately footing the bill for this not-so-sweet deal? The taxpayers.
  But the most egregious point is that other countries actively try to 
lure U.S. companies to relocate. An official Canadian Government 
brochure states:

       Canadian sugar users enjoy a significant advantage--the 
     average price of refined sugar is usually 30 to 40 percent 
     lower in Canada than the U.S.

  When a government program becomes a recruitment technique to lure 
away our manufacturers and move U.S. jobs abroad, I believe reform is 
not only necessary but essential.

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