Jeff Sessions

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S. 2812).

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 914, H.R. 4110.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Energy Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 898, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, Senator Murkowski has an amendment at the desk, and I ask for its consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 375, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 728, S. 2943.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. I ask unanimous consents the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 379, submitted earlier by Senator Snowe.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. For the information of all Senators, I say on behalf of the majority leader, following the recess on Thursday, the Senate may consider the VA-HUD appropriations conference report, if available; a continuing resolution, if received from the House; or a procedural vote with respect to the bankruptcy reform issue. Therefore, rollcall votes will occur during Thursday's session of the Senate.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate recess from 12:30 until 2:15 to accommodate a party caucus.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it recess until the hour of 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 19. I further ask consent that on Thursday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then proceed to a period of morning business until 12:30, with the time equally divided between the two leaders or their designees, with Senators speaking for up to 5 minutes, with the following exceptions: Senator Ashcroft for the first 15 minutes; Senator Durbin or his designee, 15 minutes.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I would like to share a few remarks about the Agriculture bill. I thank Senator Cochran and his committee for their work on a very difficult issue at a very difficult time for agriculture. There are no easy solutions to the problems farmers are facing. We know farmers are in trouble. One experienced farmer who heads the Alabama Farmer's Federation told me that without Federal help, he believes in just the next 2 years, one-third of the farmers in Alabama would have gone out of business. It has been costly, but I believe what we are doing is the right thing to do. Also, before I make those remarks, I would like to say I did return, with quite a number of Senators this afternoon, from the memorial service at Newport News to recognize the sailors who lost their lives in this attack on the Cole. We have to remember the Cole. We have to remember them. For a whole lot of reasons it was a very meaningful experience for me and I believe for their survivors. I was able to meet a number of sailors who had been wounded. I think all of us in this country need to pause, periodically, to remember how much we owe to the men and women in uniform. This year, farmers in my home State have faced the worst drought in over a century. In particular, farmers and cattlemen in the southeast region of the state, have been devastated. This drought has come after two previous years of drought. Scorching temperatures and virtually no rain have made it extremely difficult for these fine men and women to continue to farm. In Headland, AL, for example, only 18 inches of rain has fallen this year. This is a part of the State that normally sees over 45 inches by this time. More rain has come lately but not nearly enough and not soon enough to compensate for the earlier losses. Corn yields are down 40 percent. The peanut crop has had a very bad year, and the cotton crop has been very bad. It has not been a good year at all for Alabama farmers. This drought has been one of the most severe on record. At some point since March 1, all parts of Alabama have been classified ``exceptional drought'' by the U.S. Drought Monitor. This is the most severe drought rating. The entire State has been declared a disaster by the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Department of Agriculture has done some good work in helping to respond to the crisis. However, I continue to hear from farmers at home that they question how long they can actually stay in business if the situation doesn't improve. A combination of bad crop-years and low prices can be devastating. Some livestock producers have liquidated their herds. Nearly all of them had to sell their stock earlier and lighter than normal, costing them money. Over 50 percent of this year's hay harvest has been lost, and this is just in Alabama. There have also been droughts in other States such as Mississippi, Georgia and Texas. The $3.6 billion in emergency disaster aid included in this conference report is needed to assist these families and others who have experienced losses from drought, fire and other natural disasters. I am especially pleased that Senator Cochran and the conference committee agreed to retain my amendment in the Senate version of the bill to assist Alabama in its emergency hay and feed operations for livestock producers. The Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, Mr. Charles Bishop; the Alabama Cattlemen's Association and Dr. Billy Powell, its leader; the Alabama Farmers Federation; and other organizations have worked together to provide assistance to struggling cattlemen throughout the summer. Unfortunately, the funding for this assistance has run out. The State funding has collapsed. The $5 million in this conference agreement will go a long way to help these cattlemen make it through the winter without having to sell off their herds, which undermines their ability to have a productive economic enterprise. I am also pleased that the conference report contains funding for a number of fine agricultural research projects in Alabama and all over the country. These projects keep us on the cutting edge of agriculture, and it is the only way we will be able to compete successfully in the world market. It includes catfish disease research. Catfish is one of the biggest cash crops for agriculture in the State. Peanut allergy research is a critical issue for us. I am particularly pleased the funding for Satsuma orange research was retained in the conference report.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that S. Res. 376, previously agreed to, be modified and star printed with the changes that are at the desk.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. I further ask unanimous consent that the report to accompany S. 2580 be star printed with the changes that are at the desk.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. I ask unanimous consent that the Environment and Public Works Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4132, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 404, which is at the desk.

Mr. SESSIONS. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess under the previous order.