David Obey: “I would urge Members to vote against this rule and against this bill. This is probably the worst farm bill to have hit…”

“I would urge Members to vote against this rule and against this bill. This is probably the worst farm bill to have hit the floor of the House in the last 25 years. I especially want to address myself to dairy. I do not know if Members are aware of it, but under the rules which have applied in this country since roughly 1934, if you are a dairy farmer and live in Florida, you are paid, courtesy of the Government milk marketing order system, about $3 more for 100 pounds of milk than you are paid if you live in Wisconsin. I do not think that makes any sense. Yet this bill today is going to see to it that that system continues far longer than it ought to. My friend, the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Gunderson] tried to provide a compromise approach to the dairy milk marketing order situation, which tried to end that ridiculous milk marketing order system within 2 years. Unfortunately, it did not accomplish its goal. So, in my view, the Gunderson amendment is well-intentioned but ineffective. But now, to make matters worse, the Committee on Rules has allowed the amendment to be offered by the gentleman from New York, [Mr. Solomon], the chairman of the Committee on Rules, which will retain that existing, ridiculously stupid milk marketing order system for 4 years. And there is virtually no mechanism in the bill by which we can end that outrage.”