Conrad: ‘Money Is a Problem!'

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) has branded as "meaningless" assurances by the Bush administration that federal money will be available next year to fund a new farm law if policy considerations meet the administration's standards. "That assurance by the administration that the resources are going to be available next year is meaningless," Conrad told the Senate, because "the administration plays no role in the writing of the budget resolution. That is purely a congressional document. It does not even go to the President."

Earlier this week, several farm organizations wrote to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) saying the farm bill debate "has reflected the assumption that the additional funding for the bill provided in the FY-2002 budget resolution will only be available if the legislation is completed by the end of the first (current) session of the 107th Congress. This premise has led a number of interested parties to support a process that would limit the amount of time for consideration and development of a farm bill."

However, their letter added, "the Administration has provided assurances that the resources necessary to fund a farm bill above the current baseline will be available next year. In light of this commitment, we would support the Senate Agriculture Committee continuing a deliberative process with a goal of reaching Senate passage early in the second session of the 107th Congress" that begins in 2002.

Conrad didn't take that view lightly. "I am the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee," he declared in a floor speech Tuesday. "I want to alert my colleagues that anyone who believes the same amount of money is going to be available next year as is available this year is absolutely in a dream world. I understand the Secretary of Agriculture has called members in the last few days telling them money is not a problem, that she has been assured by the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mr. Daniels, that money is not a problem. Wrong. Money is a problem."

In light of their understanding of the Bush administration's assurances, the farm groups told Daschle, "Rushing the process of developing comprehensive farm legislation at this critical time without full and careful consideration could well result in policies and programs that do not effectively address today's needs. Based on the administration's support for a deliberative committee process and the necessary levels of funding, we urge you to set a goal of finalizing the farm bill by the spring of 2002."

Signing the letter were the American Soybean Association; National Cattlemen's Beef Association; National Corn Growers Association; National Chicken Council; National Pork Producers Council; National Sunflower Association; National Turkey Federation; United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association and the U.S. Canola Association.

Money, Conrad continued, "is going to be a big problem. We have funding in the current year budget to write a new farm bill. We have $74 billion over the so-called baseline with which to write a new farm bill. Those resources were provided because it was understood without additional resources we could not write an adequate farm bill because the so-called baseline is based on the previous farm bill that has proved to be such a failure."

Conrad continued, "I say to my colleagues, do not be fooled. The money is in the budget now. If we do not use the money that is in the budget now, it is very likely not going to be available next year. When we write the next budget resolution, we are going to be facing a totally different circumstance than we faced in the spring of this year when we wrote the budget.

"Does anybody not understand that? Does anybody not see the dramatic transformation from a weakening economy, from a sneak attack on this country, from the need for substantial funds for rebuilding the country, for defending the nation for counterterrorism efforts? Somehow the money is going to come from somewhere to write a new farm bill. I say to my colleagues, there is money in the budget this year to write a new farm bill, and if we do not use the money that is available this year, you can forget that same amount of money being available next year.

"It is not going to happen. The economy is weakening. That means less revenue. On the spending side, we are having to spend more money on defense, on counterterrorism, and on rebuilding those areas that were damaged in the attacks. That means everything else next year is going to be very squeezed. That means there is not going to be the same amount of money available next year to write a decent farm bill."

Conrad's entire Senate floor speech is available on the Internet at Conrad's Senate Speech