David Obey: “frankly, this bill is a mixed bag. We have a number of items in this bill that I support; but as is the case with so…”

“frankly, this bill is a mixed bag. We have a number of items in this bill that I support; but as is the case with so many other appropriations this year, our ability to do many things to help strengthen the economy of rural America is substantially crippled by the fact that our majority friends in this House have already decided to put all of their eggs in the tax cut basket, and that means that there is very little available for a variety of other activities whether we are talking about education or health care or in the case of this bill whether we are talking about rural sewer and water grants, rural development programs, FDA, name it. I am distressed by some of these reductions. The gentlewoman from Ohio has already mentioned them. But just as examples, I would again cite inadequate funding for farm loans, for rural development, for rural water and sewer, for distance learning and telemedicine. We have $540 million in limitation on mandatory programs, and there are a number of other items. But I would like to address just two other points. Number one, I am distressed that this bill contains language which prevents labeling for meat, country-of-origin labeling. I think our domestic producers have a right to be able to communicate to our domestic consumers whether or not food products are produced in this country or somewhere else.”