David Obey: “I have, as I said earlier, opposed the idea of compacts for years. I think they have been divisive; I think this ought…”

“I have, as I said earlier, opposed the idea of compacts for years. I think they have been divisive; I think this ought to be one country. I do not think we ought to have a Balkanized milk marketing arrangement. What the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is trying to do here is to find a way to enable us to raise income, however marginally, for dairy farmers, because of his desperate concern about their viability long term. Now, I do not think this is a perfect arrangement by any means. I have substantial questions about it. But I do have confidence in the ability of this committee if this were adopted to rationalize it in conference so that it would be workable for the country. I think if ever there was a time when we need to try to find unifying efforts in this country, in all fields, it is now. This may not be perfect, but it is the only, it is the only proposition I have seen in 5 years time that tries to bridge regional differences in the dairy area. Mr. Chairman, I think it does it in a fairly effective way.”