Cord Byrd: “I congratulate Senator Cochran, the chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and…”

“I congratulate Senator Cochran, the chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Bumpers, the ranking member, for bringing to the Senate Floor the Fiscal Year 1998 Appropriations Bill. This bill will provide funding for all activities of the Department of Agriculture, except those of the Forest Service, and the functions of the Food and Drug Administration, the Farm Credit Administration, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This bill, as reported by the Appropriations Committee, provides $50.7 billion in total obligational authority for the coming year. That is nearly $1.1 billion more than the bill reported by the House Appropriations Committee, and $1.6 billion below the President's request. It is within the subcommittee's 602(b) allocation. This bill is $3.2 billion below last year's level, due largely to reductions in mandatory accounts. The subcommittee's discretionary allocation in budget authority was increased from $13.1 billion in fiscal year 1997 to $13.8 billion in this bill. This bill provides funding for programs vitally important to all Americans.”