Bill Bennett: “throughout this entire process, both at subcommittee and at full committee level, Senator Feinstein and Senator Craig…”

“throughout this entire process, both at subcommittee and at full committee level, Senator Feinstein and Senator Craig have expressed great interest and concern about specialty crops, and they have asked us to take action with respect to specialty crops. We have been unable to find room in our allocation to deal with it. However, we recognize that the House has an allocation for specialty crops, and for that reason we believe we will be able to find a solution to this issue in conference. The 2 Senators have been very cooperative and helpful. I want to make everyone understand that as we have worked our way through this they have been in no way less than enthusiastic about supporting the issue of specialty crops. If we get the problem solved in conference, as I am hopeful we can, and as I have commented to them that I will work to do, it will be in large measure because of the tenacity and leadership of Senator Feinstein and Senator Craig. We appreciate their calling our attention to this particular issue. Also, Senator DeWine and Senator Stabenow have a problem which we have indicated we will do our best to deal with in conference. We understand the importance of the issue they have raised. With that, I want to once again pay tribute to the ranking member, Senator Kohl, and to his staff as we have gone through this process. Both the majority and minority staff have worked as one rather than as two competing staff.…”