Bob Dole: “we have had a number of farm bills discussed and passed since I have been in the Senate. Of course, the first question…”

“we have had a number of farm bills discussed and passed since I have been in the Senate. Of course, the first question is, is it good for agriculture and good for the consumers and good for the American people generally? I think we can say that the answer is in the affirmative in each case. I certainly thank Senator Lugar, the chairman of the committee, and Senator Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the committee. They have worked together, as we must, in agriculture. I have always found that if you bring a bill to the floor that is too partisan, either Democratic or Republican, it is not going to pass. And so, as has been the case in the past 20, 30 years, as far as I can recollect, this is a bipartisan piece of legislation. It should be bipartisan or nonpartisan. I do not believe that to the American farmer who is sitting out there making his decision on what is good or bad it depends on whether it has a D or an R behind it. But if it is worked out in Congress, as it has been, on a bipartisan basis, then I believe the American farmer, rancher, and, of course, the American taxpayer, too, is generally more satisfied. This bill is also a good environmental bill, as I will touch on later.”