Bob Dole: “for the past several weeks, America has focused its attention on the budget talks in Washington, and on the Government…”

“for the past several weeks, America has focused its attention on the budget talks in Washington, and on the Government workers who have been hostages in this debate. However, one of the faces not shown on the evening news as a hostage in these talks is that of the American farmer. As I travel around rural America, farmers remind me that they are taxpayers too. And as taxpayers, farmers want a balanced budget. Rural America realizes what this balanced budget means for them. For agriculture alone, spending on interest with a balanced budget is projected to decline by $15 billion over 7 years. And for a lot of family farmers who struggle to make ends meet, the money saved by reduced interest payments could make the difference between success and failure. In addition, the Balanced Budget Act would provide much needed tax relief to millions of rural Americans; including an increase in expensing limits, death tax relief, an increased deductibility for the health insurance cost of the self employed, a capital gains tax cut, and operation of a medical savings account. Mr. President, along with putting America on course to a balanced budget, there is something else that Congress must do to be fair to America's farmers. I believe we have an obligation to announce by the end of February, if not sooner, the details of a farm bill so farmers can prepare this year's crop. Kansas farmers have already planted their winter wheat without knowing any program details.”