[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 19286]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 19286]]

                        ALL THE ARROWS ARE DOWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I keep a board in my office that 
lists the cash prices of the major commodities grown in my home State 
of Kansas. An arrow next to the price indicates whether the price is up 
or down, and for too long now, and for more days than not, all the 
arrows are down.
  Prices for all our major commodities grown in the State of Kansas are 
at historic lows. The wheat crop in Kansas is worth $500 million less 
this year than last, and prices for corn, soybeans, and milo paint a 
similar picture for the fall crops. The prices for beef and pork are 
depressed as well. And behind these numbers are real people. Every day, 
farmers and ranchers are being forced out of business and off the farm 
and ranch never to return.
  Madam Speaker, I appreciate the statements made on Friday about the 
crisis in agriculture and the call upon President Clinton to work with 
Congress to provide relief soon. I could not agree more. We need to do 
something and we need to do something now.
  On July 21, I introduced H.R. 2568, the Market Loss Assistance Act. 
H.R. 2568 would provide supplemental farm income program payments equal 
to 75 percent of a producer's 1999 payment under the Agricultural 
Market Transition Act. This is the same mechanism that Congress used 
last year to provide emergency relief to farm country. Today, the need 
is greater and more urgent than it was a year ago.
  I hope the House will honor my request to consider H.R. 2568 or other 
disaster relief before Congress goes home for the August recess. Our 
farm and ranch constituents are counting on us to do the right thing 
and to do it sooner rather than later. Farmers need assurance that 
Congress and this administration will respond to the crisis. Otherwise 
we will lose another generation of family farmers and rural America 
will continue its difficult struggle.
  Over the long haul there are many things that Congress can and must 
do to get the price arrows up on the chart and pointed in the right 
direction. We need to open new markets and expand trade opportunities 
for U.S. producers. We need a farm policy that preserves flexibility 
and provides price protection. We need adequate risk management tools 
and research that enhances our competitiveness. But these are all long-
term solutions to a near-term crisis.
  H.R. 2568 can get assistance to farm country immediately. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. The time to 
respond is now, not later.

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