Harkin Takes Swipe At Lugar' Hearings Idea

July 29,1999

Things have gotten so bad for farmers, says Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), there's no time left for three days of hearings on the situation, an idea announced this week by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN). Hearings "are fine" as along as they address the "failed" freedom to farm law but do not delay emergency assistance.

Harkin's latest declarations set the stage for a direct confrontation with Lugar. Harkin is the ranking Democrat on the committee. Lugar wants hearings Aug. 3-5 unless emergency farmer relief is taken directly to the floor of the Senate. "The gravity of the farm crisis does not allow the luxury of hearings before passing emergency farm assistance," said Harkin. "Hearings would be fine as long as they are on how to fix the failed freedom to farm (law) and do not delay emergency assistance."

The Iowa Democrat has been waging a battle for emergency farmer aid for several months. He initially wanted a $6.5 billion package but now believes nothing less than $9.9 billion will do. That would include direct income assistance, additional disaster assistance, emergency conservation assistance, livestock feed assistance, cotton Step 2 funding, humanitarian donations, dairy farmers assistance, funds for Farm Service Agency salaries and expenses and farm loans, and rural economic assistance.

"Some have said that there is no farm crisis," said Harkin. "This flies in the face of the real world experience of tens of thousands of farm families across the nation. Selectively citing statistics does not diminish the seriousness of this farm crisis. The real facts show a profound and deepening farm crisis."