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.
“U.S. DISTRICT COURT CLASS I DIFFERENTIALS RULING” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S12087 on Nov. 8, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
U.S. DISTRICT COURT CLASS I DIFFERENTIALS RULING
Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, on an unrelated matter, I also want to take a moment this afternoon to rise in support of the U.S. district court decision that prohibits the U.S. Department of Agriculture from enforcing class I differentials when it comes to dairy and the Nation's milk marketing order system.
The ruling states that the class I price structure provided under USDA's Federal milk marketing order is unlawful. This ruling was made after providing the Department three opportunities to justify this antiquated regulation which has, again, been found to be arbitrary and capricious.
I strongly urge the Secretary to forgo any further litigation on this matter.
Judge Doty's decision has confirmed what we have known all along, and that is that the current class I price structure is unfair and that it makes no economic sense.
The 1996 farm bill requires the Secretary to provide price structure and Federal milk market order reform. This process is currently moving forward, and there should be no legislative maneuvers to restore the rejected state of affairs. I will be guarding against legislative initiatives put forth by regional interests which would attempt to restore the inequities of the former system.
USDA and Members of Congress must move forward and cease to be hamstrung by arcane economic models. Traditional economic models are not sufficient in constructing a dairy policy for the next century. The imposition of the 1937 dairy legislation on 1997 dairy economics is ludicrous.
Today, we have heard from our colleagues from Vermont that without the current system, the rest of the country would be at the mercy of the Midwest for a fresh supply of milk. We are not asking for a monopoly, only that the heel of Government be removed from our dairy farmer's throats so that they be allowed to compete fairly.
There is no room for regional politics in Federal dairy policy. We should not encourage inefficiency.
The United States district court has rendered its decision, and now it is in Secretary Glickman's hands to institute long-term and significant dairy reform which will restore equity to U.S. dairy policy.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
Mr. SPECTER addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I yield to my distinguished colleague from Iowa--how much time?
Mr. GRASSLEY. I would like to have 4 minutes.
Mr. SPECTER. Four minutes speaking on the bill, and then he may want to make an as-in-morning-business request to be sure it is subtracted from the time on the bill. The Parliamentarian nods in the affirmative.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. It will be.
Mr. GRASSLEY. I make the unanimous-consent request that the Senator from Pennsylvania enunciated.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. GRASSLEY. I thank the Chair.
(The remarks of Mr. Grassley pertaining to the introduction of S. 1459 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
Mr. GRASSLEY. I yield the floor.
Mr. DURBIN addressed the Chair.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I yield 5 minutes to the Senator from Illinois.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
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