Bruce F. Vento: “I think the Klug amendment is an improved amendment to mine. I would urge the Members to vote for it and then to vote my…”

“I think the Klug amendment is an improved amendment to mine. I would urge the Members to vote for it and then to vote my amendment up, as amended, or as it is. It gives us some options in terms of looking at family and ranchers. And I think that ultimately the end result is that when you subsidize and create this kind of dependency with these types of reduced or suppressed prices, that do not reflect what the costs are to the Government, we call it a subsidy. I think we ought to stop the subsidy for all. If we cannot do it for all, we ought to at least do it for the 9 percent of the permittees, the corporate cowboys, that control 63 percent of the forage, 63 percent of the forage by 9 percent, and try to retain it then for the family ranchers that some may feel deserve a subsidy. Frankly, I have my view on that. But I would hope we can support the Klug amendment. But if we cannot, at least let us cut it out for the corporate cowboys. Mr. Chairman, the Klug amendment only addresses the fee issue because that is the only thing Congress needs to address at this time. The current grazing fee is $1.35. Mr. Smith's bill would raise that by 20 cents. This amendment would set the Federal grazing fee at the level each State charges for grazing on State lands. Every Western State charges more than the Federal Government, with several charging six times as much.”