Tom Harkin

You cannot do that. So you are proposing to do that.

I will keep mine real short.

The American people would be shocked to learn that the USDA does not have the fundamental authority to protect public health.

I have detected that the Department is interested in this. You are moving ahead, but my senses pick up that there is some hanky-panky going on at OMB that are really, Mr. Chairman, trying to misinterpret the law as we wrote the statute.

If farmers do the work, the conservation work, to earn up to the $3.773 billion, then they should not be denied access to that money.

Do you agree, Madame Secretary, that the principle that we are operating under for the Conservation Security Program, the principle is written in statute?

The principle that we are operating under is an open-ended mandatory program. Is that right or not?

I am just saying that the law that we passed, signed by the President, allows funding for CSP at the $3.773 billion level.

All I am asking, and I am going to get into the rules here in a little bit... will it be based upon the full $3.773 billion?

I understand what you are saying about the budget came up before the Omnibus. I understand that.

I am very disappointed about the signals that USDA and others have been sending regarding COL.

The negative statements about COL from the Administration cause me great concern with regard to the credibility and the agenda of USDA.

I hope we do not do that.

The American people would be shocked to learn that the USDA does not have the fundamental authority to protect public health.

I think my remarks are probably more applicable to OMB.

Correct me if I am wrong, Jim, but I think the time line was to try to get the final rule sometime towards the end of the summer.

I am working to get the cap removed, as you know.

I want to know when can we expect that we are going to have the final rules promulgated?

The principle that we are operating under is an open-ended mandatory program.

I am just saying that the law that we passed, signed by the President, allows funding for CSP at the $3.773 billion level.

I have heard from several sources in Iowa that that is a high percentage of the bankruptcies, at least in Iowa.

I have to leave. I am going now down to--Mr. Ridge is there, and I am on that subcommittee also, and I have to engage him on a couple of things dealing with homeland security.

I appreciate all that you do in leading this subcommittee, making sure that we continue to address the health needs of our country.

The economic one will be out, did you say, by June or something like that?

So you are so right that getting the word out is a critical part of the solution.