Pete Domenici: “the pending Agriculture and related agencies appropriations bill provides $49.0 billion in new budget authority [BA] and…”

“the pending Agriculture and related agencies appropriations bill provides $49.0 billion in new budget authority [BA] and $41.5 billion in new outlays to fund most of the programs of the Department of Agriculture and other related agencies for fiscal year 1998. When outlays from prior year budget authority and other completed actions are taken into account, the bill totals $48.8 billion in budget authority and $49.2 billion in outlays for fiscal year 1998. Of the $49.2 billion in outlays, $35.2 billion fund entitlement programs like food stamps, child nutrition programs, and price support payments. The remaining $14.0 billion funds discretionary programs like rural housing and economic development, food safety inspection, activities of the Food and Drug Administration, agriculture research and the Farm Service Agency. The conference report falls within the current 302(b) allocation for the Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. I commend the distinguished Senator from Mississippi for bringing this bill to the floor within the subcommittee's allocation. The bill contains important increases over the 1997 level from programs like the WIC Program and the new food safety initiative, and I urge adoption of the conference report.”