Dusty Johnson: “I rise to express my grave disappointment at the failure of the Senate to achieve cloture on S. 1731, the Senate farm…”

“I rise to express my grave disappointment at the failure of the Senate to achieve cloture on S. 1731, the Senate farm bill. Today, as on two other occasions in the last 13 days we have debated the farm bill in the Senate, a majority of our body has voted for cloture, a parliamentary tool applied to end excessive debate and to ensure we could finish the farm bill by the end of the year. Unfortunately, even though a majority of the Senate wants to pass a farm bill this year, the Senate Republican leader has blocked an up-or-down vote on the farm bill, forcing the Senate to revisit this issue next year. It requires 60 votes to terminate a filibuster and to allow the Senate to proceed with its work. Today, farmers and ranchers across South Dakota and the entire country are busy doing their jobs. They are maintaining their operations, feeding livestock, deciding what to plant for the 2002 crop year, discussing prices, expenses and economic matters with their lenders, all in anticipation that Congress will do their jobs and complete a farm bill this year. The only problem is that Congress, namely a certain number in the Senate, has failed family farmers and ranchers by rejecting action on the farm bill this year.”