Richard Lugar

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Lugar amendment be temporarily set aside.

Mr. LUGAR. The Lugar amendment is the pending business; as in each case, 15 minutes to a side. We are still on that amendment, and we anticipate within a few minutes there may be clearance on the Democratic side for the Lugar amendment, in which case it will be accepted and we will move on. The distinguished Senator from Iowa will be recognized to offer his amendment.

Mr. LUGAR. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. LUGAR. The Lugar amendment is pending.

Mr. LUGAR. I respond to the distinguished Senator from Louisiana that we are discussing the Lugar amendment, and as in each of these amendments, there is 15 minutes to each side. I control the time on our side. It is certainly appropriate if the Senator wishes to use the time.

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

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I know of no opposition to these provisions. As the Chair may interpret correctly, this is an attempt to provide in this bill amendments that have been offered by many Senators that have been cleared on both sides of the aisle. I will yield to any Senator who may have comments. I yield to the distinguished Senator from Idaho.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I yield to myself such time as I may require on this amendment. I rise to offer an amendment to the Agriculture Reform and Improvement Act of 1996. In July 1995, the Agriculture Committee gave preliminary, but unanimous, approval to four titles of the farm bill. They covered farm credit, trade, rural development, and research. Since then, there has been further bipartisan work on a miscellaneous title and an agriculture promotion title. I present the fruits of those labors to the Chamber today. The Government's role in agricultural lending is substantial. This amendment provides direction to USDA to focus on helping beginning farmers and ranchers to get started and progress in farming and ranching. The amendment emphasizes that the USDA's assistance is temporary, and, most importantly, it modifies or ends a variety of risky farm loan policies which the committee considered during hearings this year. The amendment will expand and maintain our presence in overseas markets for high-value and bulk commodities. It establishes measurable benchmarks to evaluate U.S. export performance programs, including dollar value and market share growth goals. In addition, increased flexibility in the operation of export credit programs will allow us to seize future opportunities. We know that all leadership is local. Rural businesses and communities cannot sustain themselves without first taking a hard look at the human capital and resources at their disposal. This amendment provides for a new rural program delivery mechanism that depends on local and State leadership and consolidates over a dozen duplicate programs. The amendment also address the vital role that agricultural research, extension, and education play in ensuring a productive, efficient and competitive agricultural sector in our Nation. Research is the foundation for agriculture's future success. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment which will bring agricultural policy into the 21st century. Mr. President, this amendment also contains a number of miscellaneous provisions supported by various Senators. We are not aware that these are controversial. Among them are provisions to set oilseed loan rates according to a market-based formula, proposed by Senator Moseley-Braun; to provide equitable treatment for beginning farmers under the Agricultural Market Transition Program, proposed by Senator Pressler; and numerous other amendments. I ask unanimous consent that a description of these provisions be printed in the Record.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LUGAR. I thank the Chair. Amendment No. 3444 To Amendment No. 3184 (Purpose: To improve the bill.)

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Brown amendment be temporarily set aside, with a vote to occur on or in relation to the amendment at a time set by the majority leader after consultation with the Democratic leader. For a matter of information, that would come after the Kohl amendment that we considered earlier.

Mr. LUGAR. He has indeed. I am prepared to do that.

Mr. LUGAR. I am authorized by the distinguished Senator from Vermont to yield back all time on his side of the amendment. Is there further debate by the distinguished Senator from Colorado?

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I concur in all the distinguished Senator has said. Let me also mention that one reason for having votes late in the morning is literally to clear the trail--it is the intent of the leadership to complete action on this bill at 4:45--so that everyone has been heard, and votes occurring may in fact be stacked votes later in the morning. I yield the floor. Mr. BROWN addressed the Chair.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, for the benefit and information of all Members, the agreement calls for several amendments in sequence. To the best of our ability, we will shift back from one party to the other, although the agreement reached last evening was that if there are not Members present from the opposite party, we would feel free to move to whoever had an amendment. There are 10 amendments offered on the Democratic side and five on the Republican side if the maximum were to be offered. Next in sequence we are anticipating the amendment by the distinguished Senator from Colorado, who is in fact present. He will control the time on our side on that amendment.

Mr. LUGAR. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Kohl amendment be temporarily set aside with the vote to occur on or in relation to the amendment and the time to be set by the majority leader after consultation with the Democratic leader. I also ask unanimous consent that if there are stacked votes, the votes occur in the order they were offered.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays on the amendment.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, in behalf of the majority leader, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period for morning business until the hour of 3:15 p.m. with Senators permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes each.

Mr. LUGAR

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I yield myself 5 minutes.

Mr. LUGAR. I yield the majority leader as much time as he might require.

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senators Gramm of Texas and Snowe of Maine be added as cosponsors for the Leahy substitute amendment.

Mr. LUGAR

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

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

Mr. LUGAR

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