May 4, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— SENATE S6147 

town of only 300 people. He is exploring 

the possibility of opening a second facility soon in another town in order to 

hire new workers and take advantage 

of new international trade opportunities. 

In addition to creating jobs and opportunities for South Dakota families, 

Randy has served on the Geddes City 

Council. He is a volunteer firefighter 

and emergency medical technician. He 

is also a black belt karate instructor. 

In South Dakota, small business has 

always been big business. This week, as 

we celebrate Small Business Week in 

our State, I commend the Small Business Administration for the partnerships it is forging with South Dakota 

business owners. And I offer my congratulations to Randy Boyd for his 

hard work and his outstanding contributions to his community. 

f 

WAS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? 

THE VOTERS HAVE SAID YES 

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, it doesn’t 

require one to be a rocket scientist to 

realize that the U.S. Constitution forbids any President’s spending even a 

dime of Federal tax money that has 

not first been authorized and appropriated by Congress—both the House of 

Representatives and the U.S. Senate. 

So when you hear a politician or an 

editor or a commentator declare that 

‘‘Reagan ran up the Federal debt’’ or 

that ‘‘Bush ran it up,’’ bear in mind 

that the Founding Fathers, two centuries before the Reagan and Bush 

Presidencies, made it very clear that it 

is the constitutional duty of Congress 

to control Federal spending—which 

they have not for the past 50 years. 

The fiscal irresponsibility of Congress has created a Federal debt which 

stood at $4,855,154,897,104.21 as of the 

close of business Wednesday, May 3. 

This outrageous debt—which will become the debt of our children and 

grandchildren—averages out to 

$18,430.25 on a per capita basis. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO TRACY CROWLEY 

Mr. BUMPERS. Mr. President, I rise 

today to pay tribute to a member of 

my staff who is leaving Washington to 

return to her home State of Connecticut, Tracy Crowley. Tracy came 

to Washington 12 years ago to work for 

the Small Business Committee, which 

at the time was chaired by Senator 

Lowell Weicker. I was fortunate that 

Tracy remained with the committee 

when I became chairman in 1987. In 1991 

she joined my personal staff and has 

been a valuable member of the office 

for the last 4 years. 

Mr. President, those of us fortunate 

to serve in the Senate are often blessed 

with loyal and dedicated staff that 

make us look good. However, very rarely do we show the gratitude that these 

staffers deserve. The hours are long, 

the pay, in comparison to the private 

sector, is not very good and the working conditions can be difficult. 

There is no one on my staff that has 

been more dedicated or worked longer 

and harder than Tracy Crowley. Although she is not a native of Arkansas, 

she treated each and every appropriations project with great tenacity, 

fighting to make sure that the interests of Arkansans were preserved. 

There is not a fish farmer, park superintendent, forest ranger or environmentalist in the State of Arkansas 

that does not owe Tracy Crowley a 

great debt for her work on the annual 

Interior appropriations bills. 

Twelve years is a long time for anybody to work in one place. For a congressional staff person, 12 years of service is above and beyond the call of 

duty. Mr. President, while I am sorry 

Tracy is leaving the office, I know that 

she will have great success in her future endeavors and I wish her the best. 

All of those who have worked with 

Tracy, and those she has so ably served 

in Arkansas and throughout the Nation, will miss Tracy greatly. 

Mr. President, I know that you and 

the entire body wishes Tracy well. 

f 

OBSERVATIONS ON AGRICULTURE 

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I have 

just returned from a trip through the 

agricultural region of my State and the 

farmers I represent are very worried 

about their own future and the future 

of their industry. By any measure, 

American farmers are one of this country’s success stories. They have provided their fellow citizens with a stable 

food supply that is both safe and affordable. In fact, Americans pay less 

for food than any other industrialized 

nation in the world. They have also 

produced enough food to feed the 

world’s hungry and are one the few sectors of our economy that has consistently registered a positive balance of 

trade. Their success, however, seems to 

get lost in the discussions here in Congress and the political rhetoric of the 

Nation. 

I visited with farmers in Pullman, 

Colfax, Walla Walla, and Moses Lake 

and they do not feel that the rest of the 

country or the U.S. Congress appreciates their efforts. After reviewing the 

spate of proposals advanced this Congress, I am forced to agree with them. 

There seems to be a misconception 

around here that farmers are the only 

beneficiaries of the commodity programs. Nothing could be further from 

the truth. In exchange for income protection, the farmers that sign up for 

the program agree to accept production 

controls and numerous other guidelines 

and regulations on the operation of 

their farms. While these conditions 

were often put in place to achieve a 

specific public policy goal, it is important to remember that it is an additional cost to farmers and it is a cost 

they will not be able to recoup from 

the sale of their commodity. 

Because wheat farmers face many 

difficulties in providing the rest of us 

with our food, it is easy to understand 

why almost 90 percent of them in 

Washington State sign up for the program. In addition to a regulatory environment that they often consider unfavorable, they face unfair trading practices by our competitors, nontariff 

trade barriers, escalation costs, and a 

price that is too low to cover their 

costs of production. On top of all this, 

weather conditions often wreak havoc 

on all the producers’ hard work. Every 

economic analysis I have seen paints a 

very bleak picture of the future of 

rural America. I believe the conditions 

of American agriculture justify our 

continued support of the commodity 

programs, the export promotion programs, and the conservation programs. 

The gloomy conditions in farm country are not the only reason to support 

these programs, however, and I am 

here talking on the floor of the Senate 

because I believe all Americans are 

well served by these programs, not just 

farmers. In my State, many of the jobs 

in urban areas depend on the exports 

provided by agriculture. If we, as a nation, wish to continue to guarantee 

that we have a stable food supply and 

continued economic growth in our cities, it is in our interest to continue to 

adequately fund this Nation’s agricultural program. I know that I will have 

to continue to make that point in the 

urban areas of my State as well as here 

in Congress so that there will be a 

greater understanding of just how critical our agricultural industries are to 

all of us. We need to keep these things 

in mind as we consider the budget, the 

farm bill, and other legislation that 

impacts farmers. 

f 

ISRAELI INDEPENDENCE DAY 

Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I am 

pleased to join my colleagues and millions around the world in celebrating 

Israel’s 47th year of independence. 

Israel’s rapid economic progress and 

strength are testimony to the vigilance 

and determination of the Jewish people. 

As we celebrate nearly five decades 

of Israeli autonomy, we call to mind 

the many of today, yesterday, and centuries past who share a common bond: 

The dedication of their lives to establish and maintain a country that every 

Jewish person can call home. As Israeli 

President Ezer Weizman recently stated, ‘‘The State of Israel achieved its 

position due to the fact that its people 

aimed for peace and fought for it, despite all difficulties.’’ For the Jewish 

people, adversity has served as an incentive rather than a deterrent. According to Prime Minister Shimon 

Perez, ‘‘Israel will continue her quest 

for peace. At the same time, she will 

fight those who fight peace.’’ As 

friends, the people of the United States 

salute the conviction and perseverance 

the Jewish people as we, on this occasion of independence, reaffirm our 

shared belief in Israel’s sovereignty. 

The tiny democracy of Israel thrives 

in a region historically barraged with 

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