Angie Craig: “S. 1541 brings savings to the program. All of us want to accomplish that. It was the farmer that stood forth as soon as…”

“S. 1541 brings savings to the program. All of us want to accomplish that. It was the farmer that stood forth as soon as anyone else to say that a balanced budget is critical to our country and that a balanced budget is critical to the vitality of American agriculture; that American agriculture stands a lot better chance of surviving in an economy that is vibrant, in an economy where the consumers have access to and opportunity to purchase, with greater purchasing power that we believe the balanced budget would ultimately bring. Export subsidies would be curtailed, and of course peanut and sugar programs have gone through major reform. While those programs still have their critics here on the floor of the Senate, all of us can stand forward--those of us who work to produce these reforms--and demonstrate that clearly all of the commodity interests of our country have been sensitive to the kind of reform that moves us to the marketplace. I do not think the argument today that the consumer is paying the bill fits anymore. What does fit is the sensitivity to a fair playing field, especially in those industries that have to compete and must compete in worldwide economies.”