Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I know of no other statements or amendments to be submitted. I suggest that we are ready for third reading of the bill.

Mr. COCHRAN. I note for the record the following technical clarifications to the Senate committee report (Senate Report 106-80) on S. 1233, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 2000: On page 96 of the report, the chart regarding the rural economic development loans program account should not footnote the Committee recommendation. The Committee's recommendation for the direct loan subsidy is not offset by a rescission from interest on the cushion of credit payments, as authorized by section 313 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. On page 133 of the report, Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Fellowships should be added to the list of programs which currently lack authorization for fiscal year 2000.

Mr. COCHRAN. Yes, that is the Committee's intent.

Mr. COCHRAN. Yes, the committee understands that certain types of pathogens present low risks and research education facilities should face minimal regulatory burden as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Committee would also urge APHIS to develop laboratory standards for facilities and management practices that will enable research and education facilities to handle higher-risk pathogens as well. These laboratory standards will help APHIS use its resources more efficiently and allow efficient use of research resources to combat plant diseases more effectively.

Mr. COCHRAN. Yes. The Secretary of Agriculture should take this into account when establishing any regulatory processes for the movement and handling of pathogens. The Secretary should establish, to the extent possible, processes under which the facilities and their management practices are reviewed periodically, rather than requiring case-by-case approval for each us of a pathogen regardless of risk.

Mr. COCHRAN. Yes, it is the intent of the Committee to use the allocated funds as the Senator from Idaho stated. Use of these appropriations for plant protection purposes will indeed benefit American agriculture, including producers in Mississippi.

Mr. COCHRAN. Yes, it is the intent of the Committee to use the allocated funds as the Senator from Idaho stated.

Mr. COCHRAN. I thank the Senator for his concerns and I will work with him in the conference to consider whether modifications to this language are in order. greater yellowstone interagency brucellosis committee

Mr. COCHRAN. The Senator is correct.

Mr. COCHRAN. I thank the Senator from Wisconsin for raising the issue of enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act and for pointing out many of the terrible conditions for which this Act is designed to halt and efforts by USDA and this Congress to put an end to them. The Senator is correct that funding for this activity has remained constant over the past several years. The President included in his budget request for fiscal year 2000 an increase of $515,000 for these activities. The President's request would provide additional funds for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, but only to maintain current activities such as inspections at regulated facilities to ensure compliance with the Act. In addition, inspectors would receive much needed training to ensure uniform enforcement of the regulations and to stay current with industry advancements in methodologies of research and caring for animals. APHIS would continue to replace outdated and old equipment including vehicles and continue modernizing its computer databases program. In view of the needs outlined in the budget request, and the overall problems outlined by the Senator from Wisconsin, this bill includes an increase of $2 million above last years level, nearly four times the amount of increase requested by the President.

Mr. COCHRAN. I thank the Senator for his comments and I assure him that I share his concern that we must fight to ensure that our commodities are not unfairly discriminated against in markets around the world. We cannot allow our soybean farmers, cotton farmers, corn farmers and others to have their exports put at risk by unfair regulation. We cannot cede any markets to GMO opponents. I share his desire to see USDA put the necessary resources into ensuring our interests are adequately represented as the nations of Southeast Asia consider regulation. I assure him that I will look into the status of these activities and seek to have them adequately funded.

Mr. COCHRAN. Yes, that will be added to the report mandate.

Mr. COCHRAN. I understand that my colleagues from Maine have a deep interest in furthering cold-water aquaculture research on marine species, especially since cold water aquaculture is an important industry in their State. In marking up the FY2000 appropriations, the committee considered the need for the Agricultural Research Service to update warmwater aquaculture research activities and in our report language, directed the ARS to submit to the committee by January 31, 2000, a report that will not only update warmwater aquaculture research activities but also to include all aquaculture research currently being conducted by the agency. The report language also requires the agency to address the agency's current capacity and requirements for additional resources to meet future needs and issues confronting the Nation's aquaculture farmers, including opportunities in rural America. I agree that cold water aquaculture research needs are included in the overall mandate of the report language. I also believe the ARS report will be helpful in establishing the need for coldwater aquaculture research for marine species.

Mr. COCHRAN. I respond to my friend from New Mexico that he has requested the assistance of the appropriations subcommittee in addressing the serious situation of New Mexico's chile farmers, and it is the intention of the subcommittee that the chile crop would be eligible for assistance under the specialty crop provision of the bill.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, when the Senate receives the Tax Reconciliation conference report from the House of Representatives, it will begin consideration of that legislation. Therefore, Senators should expect votes into the evening during Thursday's session of the Senate.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until the hour of 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 5. I further ask consent that on Thursday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then begin 30 minutes of debate on the Holbrooke nomination by a previous order.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. We will withdraw the amendment by Senator Roberts on cross-compliance with certain conservation requirements.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, we are now ready to proceed to the consideration of the amendments. We are now in a position to recommend on behalf of the managers of the bill the amendments to the bill that should be agreed to by the Senate. I am going to read a list of the amendments, and the Senators who are the authors of the amendments, and the statements that accompany some of the amendments. I will ask unanimous consent the amendments be considered en bloc, approved en bloc, and that the statements relating to the amendments be printed in the Record. The list is as follows: an amendment of Senator Abraham on bovine tuberculosis research; Senator Abraham, Food and Drug Administration offices in Detroit, MI; Bingaman-Leahy-Domenici amendment on RCAP set- aside for Native Americans; an amendment by Senator Bond on contracts for procurement of food aid commodities; Senator Burns, sense-of-the- Senate resolution regarding eligibility of dry beans for contract acreage; Senator Byrd, an amendment relating to West Virginia State College; an amendment by Senators Cleland and Coverdell to rename the School Lunch Act; an amendment by Senator Cochran and Senator Kohl regarding Mississippi and Wisconsin pilot projects; an amendment by Senator Cochran regarding rural business loans; Senator Cochran's amendment regarding rural cooperative development grants for minority farmers; Senator Domenici's amendment on the National Drought Commission; Senator Durbin's amendment on Food and Drug Administration device earmark; Senator Durbin's amendment on the sense-of-the-Senate resolution regarding the U.S. Food Security Action Plan; Senator Gorton's amendment relating to assistance to American farmers; an amendment by Senators Graham and Mack on funding for the fruit fly exclusion and detection in Florida; Senator Kerrey's amendment earmarking funds for grassroots projects; Senator Levin's amendment to provide funding for a special research grant in Michigan; Senator Lincoln's amendment to rename a USDA facility in Arkansas; Senator Mack's amendment to provide funding for climate change research; Senator McConnell's amendment regarding cross-county leasing; Senator Nickles' amendment to modify section 739 of the bill; an amendment by Senator Reid to provide funding for a special research grant in Nevada; Senator Roberts' amendment on cross-compliance with certain conservation requirements; Senator Sessions amendment to fund a special research food safety grant in Alabama; Senator Bob Smith's amendment to waive certain rural utilities service regulations for a city in New Hampshre; an amendment by Senator Gordon Smith on paid advertising for cranberries through the marketing committee; amendments by Senator Stevens to amend the Food Stamp Program, and WIC food packages; an amendment by Senators Inouye, Akaka, and Stevens to authorize education grant programs for Alaska and Hawaii native institutions; Senator Stevens' amendment on Smith Leaver Act formulation; Senator Stevens' amendment on Hatch Act formula; Senator Thomas' amendment on livestock marketing information systems; Senator Wellstone's amendment to the Economic Research Service study on food stamp participation; Senator Edwards' amendment to fund a research project to improve early detection of crop diseases; Senator Hutchison's amendment, a sense-of- the-Senate resolution on Food and Drug Administration produce sampling; an amendment by Senators Bryan and Reid regarding Clark County, NV, Milk Marketing Order; Senator Baucus' amendment on the sense of the Senate relating to WTO actions; Senator Kohl's amendment to increase funding for existing research grants; and an amendment by Senators Harkin, Daschle, and Wellstone to increase funding for GIPSA. I ask unanimous consent those amendments be considered en bloc, be agreed to en bloc, and statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. COCHRAN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that immediately upon the passage of S. 1233, the Fiscal Year 2000 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, H.R. 1906, the House companion measure, be discharged from committee and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; that all after the enacting clause of H.R. 1906 be stricken and the text of S. 1233, as passed, be inserted in lieu thereof; that H.R. 1906 then be read for a third time and deemed passed; that the Senate insist on its amendment and request a conference with the House and that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees, and that upon the appointment of conferees, the passage of S. 1233 be vitiated and the bill S. 1233 be indefinitely postponed.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the only amendment that I am aware of that has not already been agreed to by the managers or a recommendation to the Senate for agreement is the amendment of the Senator from South Carolina. Senator Thurmond has an amendment. After his amendment is offered--and it will be accepted--we have a group of amendments that we can recommend be agreed to by the Senate. I know of no other controversial amendment that would require a recorded vote. Then it would be up to the Senate whether to accept passage of the bill on a voice vote or insist on a recorded vote. I have had no one ask me to request the yeas and nays on final passage. So if that is an understanding that is agreeable to the Senate, we will proceed to accept the amendment of the Senator from South Carolina, then the agreed-upon list the managers will recommend, and then adopt the bill on final passage by voice vote. If there is any objection to that, speak up now. Mr. THURMOND addressed the Chair.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.