Angie Craig: “as certainly the Senate knows, we are considering the Senate appropriations bill. There is an amendment that the…”

“as certainly the Senate knows, we are considering the Senate appropriations bill. There is an amendment that the chairman has brought at the request of the national dairy industry that is of great concern to me. As a result of that, I stand today in opposition to legislation that would seek to divert funds from the National Dairy Promotion Program to be used as a one-time-only source to fund EPA's dairy air quality studies. While I am wholeheartedly in support of the need for research money to carry out air quality studies, dipping into a program that all producers, large and small, are required to pay into to promote their products does not seem to meet the test of where we want to now reallocate this resource. The Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 was established to strengthen the dairy industry's position in the marketplace and to maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets and use for fluid milk and dairy products. The act does provide for research dollars to be spent but only on research projects related to the advertisement and promotion of the sale and the consumption of dairy products. So should this act leave the door open as a slush fund available any time a select group needs quick money for a proposed unrelated intent of the law? I would hope not, I would think not, and I am afraid the amendment takes us in that direction.…”