Russ Feingold: “I join the National Taxpayers Union, the Friends of the Earth, Citizens Against Government Waste and other pro-consumer…”

“I join the National Taxpayers Union, the Friends of the Earth, Citizens Against Government Waste and other pro-consumer government watchdog groups in supporting Senator Bryan's amendment to terminate the Market Access Program. Throughout the years, this wasteful program has sometimes carelessly used taxpayer money to help those who can afford to help themselves--instead of this country's struggling small farmers. Mr. President, over the last ten years, the USDA has shelled out $1.4 billion for the Market Access Program (MAP), which is intended to promote U.S. products abroad. MAP has been roundly criticized for giving away millions of taxpayer dollars to agribusiness giants in the name of trade, but the program has managed some unusual feats, including scaring off foreign consumers. As we face the already challenging task of reducing the deficit and preserving Social Security, MAP is a program that the federal budget, and the taxpayer, can do without. I do not need to remind members of the millions of dollars wasted on MAP and the programs preceding it. In 1989, we had the Japan/California raisin fiasco. The California Raisin Board ran untranslated ads to promote their raisins in a market where raisins were rare. Baffled at the sight of these strange dancing blobs, many Japanese children were frightened. Mr. President, it's safe to say that if the California Raisin Board had done any market research, they would not have wasted $3 million on those commercials.”