Jerry Moran: “yesterday we concluded our work here in the Senate on our version of the Agriculture appropriations bill. I am a member…”

“yesterday we concluded our work here in the Senate on our version of the Agriculture appropriations bill. I am a member of the Appropriations Committee, a member of the agriculture appropriations subcommittee, and I supported the legislation we passed, but there is an outstanding issue at the Department of Agriculture of which I was only recently made aware. To me, it is a very serious issue, and given more time I would have taken action here on the Senate floor. It is an issue I will continue to pursue as a member of the conference committee as we work toward our final fiscal year 2012 Agriculture appropriations bill. The issue involves a memo issued by the Department of Agriculture last month, October 6, authorizing the Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS, to conduct an animal welfare scientific forum. This forum was approved by Under Secretary Edward Avalos on October 12. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the USDA's memo. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Decision Memorandum for the Under Secretary Through: Gregory Parham, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. From: William H. Clay, Deputy Administrator, Wildlife Services. Subject: APHIS Animal Welfare Scientific Forum.…”