[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 93 (Wednesday, June 26, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

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                  HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 26, 2013

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday June 20, 2013, 
during a rapid succession of two-minute votes, I mistakenly voted `aye' 
for rollcall No. 281.
  This amendment seeks to dismantle the U.S. sugar program, which has 
operated successfully for decades at no cost to taxpayers, and provides 
a stable supply of sugar for Americans at affordable prices. Doing away 
with the U.S. sugar program would cost thousands of jobs, destabilize 
the U.S. sugar supply, and would not result in a discernible change in 
the price of sugar for Americans. The price of sugar continues to drop, 
and is currently at its lowest level in a decades. Passage of this 
amendment does nothing to decrease the price of sugar, and will only 
assist companies to offshore jobs, cut labor and health care costs, and 
leave American farmers penniless.
  Supporters of this amendment complain about high prices for sugar. 
Yet restaurants give sugar away and that one can buy a five-pound bag 
of sugar for almost nothing. This amendment will do nothing to create a 
free market for sugar and will only subject the U.S. to distorted world 
sugar markets that will cost farmers their livelihoods and American 
jobs.

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