[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 24, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5278-S5279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3446. Mrs. GILLIBRAND submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill H.R. 6147, making appropriations for the 
Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in division C, insert the 
     following:


                   direct payments for dairy farmers

       Sec. ___. Subtitle D of title I of the Agricultural Act of 
     2014 (7 U.S.C. 9051 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

              ``PART IV--DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR DAIRY FARMERS

     ``SEC. 1441. DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR DAIRY FARMERS.

       ``(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this part, the Secretary shall provide a 1-time 
     payment to each eligible dairy farmer described in subsection 
     (b) in accordance with this section.
       ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a payment 
     under this section, a dairy farmer shall--
       ``(1) be licensed by the Secretary; and
       ``(2) have had a production history during the 1-year 
     period ending on the date of enactment of this part.
       ``(c) Amount of Payment.--
       ``(1) In general.--The amount of a payment under this 
     section shall be, as determined by the report of the Economic 
     Research Service entitled `Milk Cost of Production by Size of 
     Operation Report' and dated May 1, 2018, equal to the 
     quotient obtained by dividing--
       ``(A) the product obtained by multiplying--
       ``(i) the quantity (in pounds) of the national average milk 
     production of a dairy cow;
       ``(ii) the average number of cows per farm, as determined 
     under paragraph (2);
       ``(iii) the value of production less total costs, as 
     determined under paragraph (3); and
       ``(iv) \1/2\; and
       ``(B) 100.
       ``(2) Average number of cows per farm.--The average number 
     of cows per farm under paragraph (1)(A)(ii) shall be 
     determined based on the report described in paragraph (1) as 
     follows:
       ``(A) In the case of a farm with fewer than 50 cows, the 
     national average number of cows per farm in farms with fewer 
     than 50 cows.
       ``(B) In the case of a farm with not fewer than 50 cows and 
     not greater than 199 cows, the national average number of 
     cows per farm in farms with not fewer than 50 cows and not 
     greater than 199 cows.
       ``(C) In the case of a farm with not fewer than 200 cows 
     and not greater than 499 cows, the national average number of 
     cows per farm in farms with not fewer than 200 cows and not 
     greater than 499 cows.
       ``(D) In the case of a farm with not fewer than 500 cows, 
     the national average number of cows per farm in farms with 
     not fewer than 500 cows.
       ``(3) Value of production less total costs.--The value of 
     production less total costs under paragraph (1)(A)(iii) shall 
     be determined based on the report described in paragraph (1) 
     as follows:
       ``(A) In the case of a farm with fewer than 50 cows, the 
     national value of production less total costs in farms with 
     fewer than 50 cows.
       ``(B) In the case of a farm with not fewer than 50 cows and 
     not greater than 199 cows, the national value of production 
     less total costs in farms with not fewer than 50 cows and not 
     greater than 199 cows.
       ``(C) In the case of a farm with not fewer than 200 cows 
     and not greater than 499 cows, the national value of 
     production less total costs in farms with not fewer than 200 
     cows and not greater than 499 cows.

[[Page S5279]]

       ``(D) In the case of a farm with not fewer than 500 cows, 
     the national value of production less total costs in farms 
     with not fewer than 500 cows.
       ``(d) Payment Limitation.--The amount of a payment under 
     this section to an eligible dairy farmer described in 
     subsection (b) shall not be greater than $15,000.
       ``(e) Funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this 
     section $500,000,000.''.
                                 ______