Dale Bumpers: “I would like to open my remarks by simply saying that this amendment is not vindictive, it is not designed to put small…”

“I would like to open my remarks by simply saying that this amendment is not vindictive, it is not designed to put small ranchers out of business, and indeed it would not. I consider it to be an eminently fair amendment. Mr. President, for the benefit of people who do not deal with this issue and really do not understand what this debate is about, let me start off by saying there are 270 million acres of land that literally belong to the taxpayers of America. Most of it, admittedly, is in the western States. However, some of it is in my State and your State. Mr. President, there are currently 270 million acres of land that are subject to grazing permits. How many permits? Twenty-two thousand. How much money do we get? Mr. President, we receive $25 million and change. Therefore, we are not here debating money. That is really not the issue here. There is not much difference in the amount of money between the bill of the Senator from New Mexico and the Bumpers amendment. I will tell you, however, where the difference is. The difference is in fairness. The difference is in who pays the fee and what happens to the money. Now, the principal thrust of my amendment and the second-degree amendment of the Senator from Vermont [Mr. Jeffords], is to protect-- let me repeat, to protect--small ranchers.”