Cord Byrd: “now before the Senate is the conference report on H.R. 4461, the Fiscal Year 2001 Appropriations bill for Agriculture…”

“now before the Senate is the conference report on H.R. 4461, the Fiscal Year 2001 Appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, the Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. This conference report includes many items important to West Virginia, and to all states, relating to agricultural research and production, conservation, rural development, food assistance, human health, and many other priority areas. I congratulate Senator Thad Cochran, Chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee, and Senator Herb Kohl, Ranking Member, for their hard work in finalizing this very important conference agreement. This conference report provides a total of $74.458 billion in new non-emergency budget authority. This total includes $34.691 billion for agricultural programs (including reimbursement to the Commodity Credit Corporation for net realized losses); $873 million for conservation programs; $2.487 billion for rural development programs; $34.117 billion for domestic food programs; $1.091 billion for international trade assistance programs; and $1.168 billion for related agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration. It is important to note that this conference report includes more than the annual Fiscal Year 2001 appropriations for programs under the jurisdiction of the Agriculture Subcommittee. This conference report also includes $3.642 billion in emergency spending.”