Barbara Cubin: “I do have to take exception with the previous speaker. As it was pointed out earlier, there were 19 hearings held in…”

“I do have to take exception with the previous speaker. As it was pointed out earlier, there were 19 hearings held in order to put this bill together, so there was plenty of input, there was plenty of negotiation. This is a result of hours and hours of tough negotiations. As far as taking the safety net out from under American farmers, there are no better producers in the world than American farmers. What the role of the United States should be is to create a level playing field so that our producers can compete. Then they should see that the regulations for that level playing field are enforced. American farmers can compete every time. While this bill may not be perfect, it is a complete package. To attack or separate out one program is to threaten the cohesive hold of the negotiated package. This is a negotiated package. If the bill is ripped apart, there will be fewer benefits than if the complete package is adopted. I do not know of any person involved in agriculture that wants to remain under the thumb of the Federal Government. Again, what the Federal Government's role should be is to see that our agriculture producers are allowed to compete on a level playing field. Let me give an example. The sugar program is part of this bill. It has been greatly reformed, and yet it still remains under attack. The loss of the reformed sugar program will devastate the domestic industry.”