Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2005

AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005 -- (House of Representatives - July 13, 2004)

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 710 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the further consideration of the bill, H.R. 4766.

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I thank the fine gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) for offering this amendment, along with his distinguished colleagues, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee). I would like to compliment the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) for his steadfastness in standing up for inclusion of all farmers in our country, regardless of racial background, of ethnic background, of regional background. I really want to help the gentleman.

I support his amendment. As we move to conference I hope that his dogged efforts today and those of his colleagues will help us find a better way forward. I hope that the chairman will work with us as we go into conference committee because what the gentleman is asking for here is not outlandish. He is asking for small increases in the office for civil rights, for tribal extension grants, for outreach to minority farmers and for Hispanic-serving institutions, all of which, along with Native Americans, deserve more attention in this bill.

It is true that there are tremendous suits against the Department of Agriculture now totaling over $1 billion. The gentleman's amendment is just infinitesimal in comparison to that. But we know the unmet need that is out there.

I just want to thank the gentleman. He has my support. He has my support not just here on the floor today but as we move to conference. I thank him for standing up for every farmer in America, regardless of where they might live, what their income or their background is. I commend the gentleman.

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Ms. KAPTUR. Reserving the right to object, Mr. Chairman, I wanted to ask the author of the amendment a question.

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair is unaware of any pending request the gentlewoman is objecting to.

Ms. KAPTUR. I am trying to understand the procedure here. The gentleman is formally offering an amendment?

The CHAIRMAN. The Member will suspend. The time is controlled by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo)
and by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla) in opposition.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

The CHAIRMAN. The time is controlled and amendments are not in order.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for
a brief question.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman very much for the time. I just would like to know, for the record, does the gentleman's amendment in any way change existing law regarding immigration and food stamp eligibility?

Mr. TANCREDO. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Ms. KAPTUR. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 ¾ minutes to the fine gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman).

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I include for the RECORD letters pertaining to this issue.

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES,

Washington, DC, July 12, 2004.

Secretary ANN W. VENEMAN,

U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Washington, DC.

DEAR SECRETARY VENEMAN: We are writing to request information regarding nearly $4 billion in unpaid credits for the sale of U.S. agricultural commodities to Iraq. The Departments of Treasury and Agriculture have failed to adequately respond to previous requests for this information.

During hearings before the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for fiscal 2004, the Foreign Agricultural Service was asked to provide copies of minutes, transcripts, and reports from the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies. Requests were also made for the date, the amount, and specific votes by members of the National Advisory Council for each of the Commodity Credit Corporation Program credit guarantees that were approved for Iraq.

While USDA did participate in many of these meetings, the response was that USDA did not have such records, including the names of its own personnel who may have been involved in these meetings. Instead, it was suggested that the Department of Treasury would have these records. In response to these questions, USDA made a promise a year ago that the Department would work with Treasury to obtain these records. Despite this pledge, no information has been provided. (Fiscal 2004 hearing, Part 7, page 641)

In fact, when the issue was raised again earlier this year in questions presented to Secretary Veneman, the response was the "the Department does not have any additional information." (Fiscal 2005 hearings, Part 8, page 327)

Given that the outstanding debt is nearly $4 billion in combined principle and interest and that this debt is still carried on the books of CCC, it is very difficult to believe and harder to accept that more detailed records of how these credits were approved do not exist. This is a matter that should be resolved before any additional credit of any kind is extended to be sure that limited resources are being used in the most indicious manner.

Additionally, in response to questions presented to the Foreign Agricultural Service during hearings this year, it was
suggested that an IMF debt sustainability analysis was expected by early May, a U.S. Government Country Risk Assessment was expected by early June, and a determination by the Paris Club on debt treatment was expected as soon as this month. (Fiscal 2005 hearings, Part 7, page 922) We request summaries of each of these reports as well.

We ask that you provide the requested documents as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Marcy Kaptur,

Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Committee on Appropriations.

Henry A. Waxman,

Ranking Member, Committee on Government, Reform.
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CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES,

Washington, DC, July 12, 2004.

Secretary JOHN SNOW,

U.S. Department of Treasury,

Washington, DC.

DEAR SECRETARY SNOW: We are writing to request information regarding nearly $4 billion in unpaid credits for the sale of U.S. agricultural commodities to Iraq. The Departments of Treasury and Agriculture have failed to adequately respond to previous requests for this information.

During hearings before the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for fiscal 2004, the Foreign Agricultural Service was asked to provide copies of minutes, transcripts, and reports from the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies. Requests were also made for the date, the amount, and specific votes by members of the National Advisory Council for each of the Commodity Credit Corporation Program credit guarantees that were approved for Iraq.

While USDA did participate in many of these meetings, the response was that USDA did not have such records, including the names of its own personnel who may have been involved in these meetings. Instead, it was suggested that the Department of Treasury would have these records. In response to these questions, USDA made a promise a year ago that the Department would work with Treasury to obtain these records. Despite this pledge, no information has been provided. (Fiscal 2004 hearings, Part 7, page 641)

In fact, when the issue was raised again earlier this year in questions presented to Secretry Veneman, the response was that "the Department does not have any additional information." (Fiscal 2005 hearings, Part 8, page 327)

Given that the outstanding debt is nearly $4 billion in combined principle and interest and that this debt is still carried on the books of CCC, it is very difficult to believe and harder to accept that more detailed records of how these credits were approved do not exist. This is a matter that should be resolved before any additional credit of any kind is extended to be sure that limited resources are being used in the most judicious manner.

Additionally, in response to questions presented to the Foreign Agricultural Service during hearings this year, it was suggested that an IMB debt sustainability analysis was expected by early May, a U.S. Government Country Risk Assessment was expected by early June, and a determination by the Paris Club on debt treatment was expected as soon as this month. (Fiscal 2005 hearings, Part 7, page 922) We request summaries of each of these reports as well.

We ask that you provide the requested documents as documents as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Marcy Kaptur,

Ranking Member, Subcommitte on Agriculture, Committee on Appropriations.

Henry A. Waxman,

Ranking Member, Committee on Goverment Reform.
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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I yield my remaining time to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), a very able member of our subcommittee.

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Ms. KAPTUR's amendment simply restates the restrictions on CCC loans contained in current law, which were violated by previous administrations.

This is extremely prescient because many of the officials responsible for our Iraq policy when these violations occurred are back in power in George W. Bush's administration. They could probably use the reminder.

On March 16, 1988, Iraq used mustard gas and other nerve agents against the Kurds in Halabjah, Iraq, killing an estimated 5,000 people. This is an atrocity that is used by many, including the President and members of his cabinet, as justification for invading Iraq.

Yet, these same people in both the Reagan and the first Bush administrations worked to increase aid, cooperation, trade and intelligence-sharing with Iraq after the gassing occurred after these atrocities occurred.

Secretary of State Colin Powell was Ronald Reagan's National Security Adviser when the Kurds were gassed.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz was Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 1989 to 1993.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice was a director on the National Security Council from 1989 to 1993.

Vice President DICK CHENEY was the Republican whip in the House in 1988 and the Secretary of Defense from 1989 until 1993.

Even Majority Leader TOM DELAY voted against legislation imposing sanctions on Iraq in September of 1988 in response to the Halabja tragedy.

As far as we know, not one of them opposed the massive aid and assistance the Reagan and Bush administrations sent after the Halabja bombing.

I urge the adoption of Representative KAPTUR's amendment to prevent a repeat of the abuse that occurred under the Reagan and Bush administrations.

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