[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 103 (Thursday, July 18, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5794-S5795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FEDERAL AGRICULTURE REFORM AND RISK MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2013
Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, it is my pleasure to ask unanimous
consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No.
136, H.R. 2642; that all after the enacting clause be stricken and the
text of S. 954, as passed by the Senate, be printed in lieu thereof;
that H.R. 2642, as amended, be read a third time and passed; the motion
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the
Senate insist upon its amendment, request a conference with the House
on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses; and the Chair be authorized
to appoint conferees with the ratio of 7 to 5 on the part of the
Senate, all with no intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is
so ordered.
The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a
third time.
The bill (H.R. 2642), as amended, was read the third time and passed.
Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, let me just take a moment to thank my
ranking member Senator Cochran and to indicate we are in fact now
officially sending back our Senate bill to the House and requesting a
conference on the farm bill. This is a very important step this
evening.
I thank the senior Senator from North Dakota Mr. Hoeven, who has done
yeoman work this evening and today, and the senior Senator from Georgia
Mr. Chambliss, who has been very involved, as well as other members of
the committee, for working hard to bring us to this point.
As everyone knows, we have been working very hard on a bipartisan
basis in the Senate. We have produced a product that is comprehensive,
bipartisan, balanced; that addresses the agricultural needs and
concerns of our country in a 5-year farm bill; that addresses food
security and conservation of our soil and land and water; bioenergy,
rural development--we could go on and on with all of the pieces of the
farm bill that are so important.
We also do this on behalf of the 16 million men and women in America
[[Page S5795]]
who work hard every day in some part of agriculture and the food
industry, the riskiest business in the world. Nobody else has to worry
for their products or services, about whether it is going to rain or
not today or be too hot or too cold. There are folks who do that every
single day. Because of them we have the safest, most affordable food
supply in the world.
On behalf of all of them, I truly thank my committee, our committee
that has worked incredibly well together. As I said, we have had
tremendous leadership shown as we have moved to this process to go to
conference. I could thank every member of our committee, but I do
believe I need to, one more time, indicate that Senator Hoeven and
Senator Chambliss have been invaluable in this process. Senator Hoeven
was spending a lot of time tonight, as everyone else was getting on
airplanes, to help be able to get to this point.
I certainly could go down the list. I hate to always not mention
someone I may have missed because we certainly had a strong committee
presence and a desire to continue to do great work in the Senate on the
issue of supporting farmers and ranchers. This is a very important step
as we move forward in what I am very confident, despite the twists and
turns, will result in a bipartisan farm bill.
I commend, despite terrific odds and challenges, the chairman in the
House and ranking member in the House for their efforts. I am confident
that working together we will be able to get this done for the American
people.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________