Tom Coburn: “There is no question we have some critical needs among many of our agricultural suppliers in this country--needs that…”

“There is no question we have some critical needs among many of our agricultural suppliers in this country--needs that were unforeseen, needs that were unanticipated, needs that we should have addressed last year but didn't; needs that we should have addressed in the CR, but we were precluded from offering an amendment to offer a way to supply those needs. What this amendment does is it provides farm relief to both our production agriculture individuals, as well as our cattle, in a fiscally responsible manner. I wish to give some quotes, before I go into the details, from last year's debate with Senator Conrad and Senator Dorgan. Here are the following quotes: I am very much in sympathy with Senator Coburn on the notion of paying for this. I appreciate very much--as the Senator knows, I wish to pay for this all as well. We have a way to do a pay-for, but I am precluded from doing so by the rules. On the question of paying for it, I have complete agreement with the Senator from Oklahoma. I wish the rules permitted us to offer an amendment for pay-for. I don't have disagreements about the issues of paying for it. I suggest we do a unanimous consent. I would do a unanimous consent to pay for it. These things ought to be paid for.”