Byron Dorgan: “When you talk about economic recovery and economic stimulus, what can promote economic recovery better in this country…”

“When you talk about economic recovery and economic stimulus, what can promote economic recovery better in this country than to help those on America's farms? Recovery, in my judgment, begins at the roots. It seems to me that what has always nourished America has rolled from the family farms to the small towns and big cities. Whether it is economic opportunity or economic progress, family values have always nourished our country. Our farmers are in significant trouble. We have struggled and fought and scrapped and tried to get this bill to the floor of the Senate. We have the Secretary of Agriculture calling around saying don't do it. In fact, the Secretary of Agriculture pushed very hard to prevent the House from doing it, and Congressman Combest, who is of the other political party--God bless him--said: I am going to do it anyway. It needs to be done; it ought to be done now. And he did it, and ran a farm bill through the House. Good for him. We are struggling to get a farm bill through the Senate.”