The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TEXT OF AMENDMENTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S6717 on Oct. 23, 2017.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TEXT OF AMENDMENTS
SA 1573. Mr. PAUL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2266, to amend title 28 of the United States Code to authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges; and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in division A, insert the following:
Sec. ___. (a) Offset.--Of the unobligated balances made available to each covered executive department for fiscal year 2018, $36,517,000,000 are rescinded, on a pro rata basis, in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Discretion of Executive Department Head.--The head of each covered executive department shall determine from which accounts of the covered executive department and in what amounts the funds required to be rescinded under subsection
(a) will be rescinded.
(c) Covered Executive Department.--In this section, the term ``covered executive department'' means--
(1) an Executive agency, as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and
(2) does not include the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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SA 1574. Mr. FLAKE (for himself and Mr. Lee) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2266, to amend title 28 of the United States Code to authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges; and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 5, lines 5 through 10, strike ``Provided further,'' and all that follows through ``Secretary of the Treasury:''.
At the end, add the following:
DIVISION C--PUERTO RICO ENERGY DELIVERY RELIABILITY AND REFORM
SEC. 2001. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE
PUERTO RICO ELECTRIC POWER AUTHORITY.
It is the sense of Congress that privatizing the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority would lead to lower energy costs for electricity customers in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
SEC. 2002. EXCEPTIONS TO APPLICATION OF COASTWISE LAWS FOR
PUERTO RICO.
Section 55101(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively; and
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated, the following:
``(1) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;''.
SEC. 2003. TERMS AND AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN LOANS OR OTHER
ASSISTANCE.
Nothing in this Act authorizes any loan or other assistance made available under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)--
(1) to include any terms that would impair any lien or collateral securing the claim of any creditor of--
(A) a territory or possession of the United States or a local government agency of a territory or possession of the United States; or
(B) an instrumentality of a territory or possession of the United States or a local government agency of a territory or possession of the United States; or
(2) to be made available for proceedings under title III of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Security Act (48 U.S.C. 2161 et seq.).
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SA 1575. Mr. NELSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2266, to amend title 28 of the United States Code to authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges; and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
In title II of division A, under the heading ``DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'', add at the end the following:
Office of the Secretary
For an additional amount for the Office of the Secretary,
$3,000,000,000, for necessary expenses related to crop losses and other consequences of Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria:
Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, payment and income limitations shall not apply with respect to payments made to producers pursuant to this paragraph: Provided further, That with respect to payments made to producers of citrus, fruits and vegetables, or nursery crops, the Secretary of Agriculture shall carry out this paragraph in a similar manner as under the Florida Hurricane Agriculture Disaster Assistance (Special Disaster Relief for Hurricanes Charley and Frances) program of the Farm Service Agency (as revised on September 30, 2004): Provided further, That such amount is designated by Congress as being for emergency requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985
(2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)).
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SA 1576. Mr. SHELBY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2266, to amend title 28 of the United States Code to authorize the appointment of additional bankruptcy judges; and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
Strike section 308 and insert the following:
Sec. 308. Section 1309(a) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4016(a)) is amended by striking
``$30,425,000,000'' and inserting ``$46,425,000,000''.
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