June 29, 1999

Senate Republicans couldn't jar loose four spending bills, including agriculture, in a series of votes late Monday. Republicans could not corral more than 50 votes on any of the cloture tallies, well short of the 60 votes needed. The stalemate probably forces both sides to negotiate a schedule for debating the so-called "patients' bill of rights" from the appropriations bills.

Democrats want floor action on the health care legislation and had held up the appropriations bills in an effort to force Republicans to accept a health care debate. If that is accomplished, consideration of the appropriations bills should be able to proceed, but probably not until after the July 4 recess.

Amendments expected to be offered when the Senate gets rolling once again on the agricultural appropriations bill include a limit to unilateral trade sanctions on food, an amendment expanding and extending dairy compacts and another Harkin amendment to funnel more than $6 billion into farmers' pockets to increase farm income.

A bipartisan group of senators planned an amendment to limit embargoes. It would require the President to obtain congressional approval before implementing any new trade sanctions that include food or medicine. Food would include commodities such as wheat, cotton, rice, corn, other grains, beef and pork.

Sens. John Ashcroft (R-MO), Max Baucus (D-MT), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) co-sponsored that amendment.

Sens. Pat Leahy (D) and James Jeffords (R) of Vermont are expected to offer the amendment on dairy compacts. It would make permanent the Northeast Dairy Compact and authorize the formation of a southern compact, and Jeffords says a Pacific Northwest Dairy Compact is being considered by the Oregon legislature. The amendment is opposed strongly by dairy processors.

Leahy also has indicated he will offer an amendment to mandate a milk pricing option to USDA's final rule on milk marketing order reform more favorable to producer prices than the one USDA has proposed.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) also is expected to try again to have $6.5 billion in farmer assistance attached to the bill. He has tried twice to have the money included in appropriations bills, but failed. Republicans have said they are willing to consider helping farmers faced with low prices again this year but not until the crops are harvested and the marketing year is underway.