Richard Lugar

Mr. LUGAR

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I move that the Inhofe amendment No. 2825 be withdrawn.

Mr. LUGAR. I thank the Chair. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, under the unanimous consent agreement that has been adopted on amendment No. 2851, the Domenici amendment on dairy, that debate must occur this evening. The provision provides for 2 minutes of debate tomorrow prior to the vote, equally divided. Senator Domenici is not able to be present. Earlier today, on his behalf, I offered the amendment with a short argument. I ask that the Chair call up amendment No. 2851.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I yield myself as much time as I may require from the 10 minutes provided to the proponents of the amendment.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Phil Gramm of Texas. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, the purpose of this amendment is to provide equity and fairness for the promotion of imported Hass avocados. I am introducing the amendments at this time in recognition of the fact that we have a deadline of 3 p.m. for introduction of all amendments. At some point, it is certainly possible that Senator Gramm will come to the floor and argue in behalf of his amendments, and others may do so also. For the moment, I ask the amendment be laid aside, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Kyl and Senator Nickles, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. LUGAR. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask the amendment be laid aside, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Kyl, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I appreciate the comment of my colleague. He is correct, obviously. I hope there may be some dispensation in that this request arrived a few seconds after the 3 p.m. time. We have been attempting to accommodate Senators. I ask unanimous consent that the Kyl amendment be laid aside.

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

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum with the time to be charged equally to both sides.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, let me, first of all, make an announcement before I comment on the amendments of the Senator. There has been an objection on our side to having a voice vote on the Wellstone amendment. Therefore, we will need to have a rollcall vote. Because of the thoughtfulness of the Senator from Iowa, there will be some further time to debate the amendment. I believe there are 8 minutes for the opposition. For all those listening to the debate, if there is opposition to the Wellstone amendment, that time remains. At the end of that time, the Wellstone amendment will be in the stack for votes and disposition after the unanimous consent on the other amendments has been run through, which is to simply say we are going to have a vote, a rollcall, and it will come at the end of the stack that the Senator from Nevada offered a while back.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, in a moment the distinguished Senator from Idaho, Mr. Craig, will seek recognition on behalf of the opposition to the amendment. I ask Senator Craig to control the time on our side.

Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, I yield myself 2 minutes in opposition. I bring to the attention of Senators that, whatever the merits of this emergency legislation, the cost of these provisions is approximately $2.4 billion. That $2.4 billion would be in addition to the $73.5 billion over a 10-year period of time, which is already the approximate cost of the bill to say nothing about the so-called baseline expenditures--namely, the farm programs which continue, to which in the event this legislation passes $73.5 billion would be added. I think Senators must weigh the fact that the Senate and the House voted approximately $5.5 billion last year for emergencies. This is in addition to that. Members must at some point weigh the consequences of the spending of which we are involved. This Senator has suggested ways in which this bill ought to come in for less than $73.5 billion. I simply note that if the passage of the amendment occurs, we will be adding approximately $2.4 billion to the tab. I thank the Chair. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask unanimous consent the time be charged to both sides.

Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, I yield time to the distinguished Senator for whatever he may require.

Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, I yield myself time in opposition. Let me respond to the Senator from Montana. To equate the national emergency this country faces in its war against terrorism and al-Qaida and an agricultural emergency is to stretch things quite a bit. I understand the desire of colleagues to send money to farmers and ranchers around the country. I would simply point out that in this particular calendar year agricultural income is a positive $59 billion in this country. It was, in fact, higher than it has been for several years. The net worth of farms in this country increased this year as it has at least for the last 3 or 4 years as land values increased substantially. Let me point out that there may be reasons for specific tailoring of various projects in various areas, but agriculture in America does not face an emergency. Agriculture in America faces at least a point in which our legislation might create problems. I have suggested the problems that will be created are incentives for overproduction, almost a guarantee of lower prices, and almost a guarantee that Members of the Senate will come here reflecting on the lower prices and wonder why that happened but suggest that we spend more money in order to counteract our own policies. I appreciate that Senators vote generally on the merits of all the elements of the bill, but the particular area in which we are dealing--that of agricultural payments--leaves us very vulnerable, I believe, to fiscal mismanagement, to lower prices, and to a trust that has been betrayed with regard to good judgment in farm policy. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, I yield the Senator the 50 seconds.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I would mention that emergency programs are not new to agriculture. From 1989, that fiscal year, to the present time, over $40 billion has been expended in this way. During the last 3 years, we have had expenditures of $26.62 billion, $14.99 billion, and $11.17 billion. There appears to be a very strong trend to try to get outside the so-called baseline, plus whatever else occurs in the farm bill for additional expenditures. The Baucus amendment calls for $2.4 billion outside the $73.5 billion for the 10 years of additional spending in the farm bill or the baseline. For that reason, I oppose it. At the proper time I will raise a point of order under section 205, but I will wait until we have had the 2 minutes expire.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, has all time expired?

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, the Baucus amendment contains an emergency designation. Under section 2035 of H. Con. Res. 290, the fiscal year 2000 budget resolution, I raise a point of order against the amendment.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I move to reconsider.