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.
“CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3194, CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2528-E2529 on Nov. 22, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3194, CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS AND
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000
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speech of
HON. TAMMY BALDWIN
of wisconsin
in the house of representatives
Thursday, November 18, 1999
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain the reasons I voted against the Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report. This bill has both good and bad parts. But unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the bad outweighs the good.
Mr. Speaker, this bill contains disastrous dairy policy. It allows the Northeast Dairy Compact, a pricing scheme that gives dairy farmers in the six Northeastern states higher prices for their milk, to continue for two more years. The House has never debated nor voted on this policy, which places Wisconsin dairy farmers at a disadvantage. It is wrong to add this measure to this must-pass legislation without debate. This bill also reverses what Congress asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to do in 1996--reform the antiquated milk market order system. For over sixty years, Wisconsin farmers have struggled with the inequity of the current pricing system, which sets milk prices according to the distance from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The USDA, doing Congress' will, revamped the current milk pricing system to be more fair, and more market oriented. But in this bill, Congress has reversed itself, and allowed the unfair, depression era status quo to prevail.
Mr. Speaker, this bill does contain some of the important priorities that I strongly support. I wish they had not been packaged with the objectionable items that forced me to vote against the bill. The bill provides funding for the class size initiative that permits the hiring of 100,000 new teachers so that our children can have smaller, more effective classes. It also provides funding for the COPS program which puts more neighborhood police officers in our communities. These are both important programs that provide necessary resources to our local communities. I also regret that I was unable to vote to restore the Medicare cuts that were included in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to next year's session, when I hope we will take up some of the unfinished business of this year.
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