Pat Roberts

Mr. ROBERTS

Mr. ROBERTS. It is a minor point. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California [Mr. Thomas].

Mr. ROBERTS. That amendment was withdrawn by the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston]. It is extremely important to Florida, California, whatever.

Mr. ROBERTS. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, may I ask the gentleman from Texas what is in his AQI technical amendment?

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. ROBERTS. I do, Mr. Speaker, I insist on my point of order. It is my understanding there is a nutrition program extension; that is, the Food Stamp Program included. This is not included in H.R. 2854. It is an entitlement program that amounts to about 50 percent of the ag appropriations each year. This is a 7-year extension, not germane to the rest of the bill. I insist on my point of order. The SPEAKER pro tempore Does the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Stenholm] wish to be heard on the point of order?

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order against the motion to recommit in regards to the addition of a nutrition program which is not permitted in the rule.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, under the circumstances, since we will be allotted the appropriate time to do that, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of objection, I would like to inform the Members of the House that I am certainly not going to have the Clerk read the 229 pages. But we do not know what is in the motion to recommit. We have a summary here that has been handed to me about 30 seconds ago and, under my reservation, perhaps if the gentleman from Texas could answer several questions, we could expedite the process. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Stenholm].

Mr. ROBERTS. Reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire of the Chair, in terms of the requirement of reading what is contained in the motion to recommit, it is my understanding there are 229 pages of the proposal. We have not seen these 229 pages. Could the Chair inform me if, in fact, there are 229 pages and was the Clerk going to read all 229?

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Ewing], the chairman of the Subcommittee on Risk Management and Specialty Crops of the Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. ROBERTS

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would like to make the observation to my dear friend and colleague from Texas that the New York Times editorial board did not sit in our offices when we constructed the Freedom To Farm Act, and we would not want them to sit there, but at least in terms of their opinion, it would be helpful if they would not perjure agriculture as he has indicated. Let me also say that the gentleman from Texas is affectionately called the chairman emeritus of the House Agriculture Committee for good reason. He has been a champion of agriculture, he has furnished us outstanding leadership, he is regarded all over the world as a Secretary of State of Agriculture. Mr. Chairman, I checked with his seven grandchildren, who have mentioned they are going to have an appreciation night for Kika, pardon me, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. de la Garza], as of tomorrow in his home State of Texas. Of the seven grandchildren, four have endorsed the freedom-to-farm concept. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Lewis].

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Lucas]. (Mr. LUCAS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to share the time allocated to me with respect to managing the debate on the amendment with the ranking minority member, the chairman emeritus of the Committee on Agriculture, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. de la Garza], and that each of us be responsible for controlling our respective time limitations.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROBERTS. There is zero 1992, there is zero 1985. We do not have any set-aside for wheat. We have not had set-asides for major crops. The same situation continues, but I think we have had that debate, Mr. Chairman. Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Chairman, if the distinguished chairman has only to close, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROBERTS. I would inform the gentleman, he could barely pay the taxes in regard to the payments coming down the pike. We also have conservation compliance. I know where the gentleman is headed in regards to his repeated criticism of the bill. I think we have been through that. What is in H.R. 2854 is the same situation as it is today in the current farm program.

Mr. ROBERTS. That is true.

Mr. ROBERTS. I would inform the gentleman from Missouri that the situation is just the way it is in the law today. Nothing has changed.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ROBERTS. I am more than happy to respond to the gentleman. We have discussed this at length. I thank the gentleman from Texas for his question. One of our technical amendments, I think, certainly clarifies this situation. Under our bill, anyone who has been eligible for payments under current law will be eligible for transition contract payments. The traditional protection afforded both the landlord and the tenant based on the amount of risk taken between the landowner and the tenant in distributing the payments will remain in the same manner in H.R. 2854, or freedom to farm, as current law. I can assure the gentleman we have heard his constituents. We have heard you, and we addressed it. I thank the gentleman for his concerns.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, for the purpose of a colloquy, I am most delighted to yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas [Mr. Laughlin].

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to my distinguished friend and colleague, the gentleman from Kansas [Mr. Tiahrt].