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[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 224 Introduced in House (IH)]

105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 224

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Secretary 
  of Agriculture should establish a temporary emergency minimum milk 
 price that is equitable to all producers nationwide and that provides 
        price relief to economically distressed milk producers.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 1997

 Mr. Obey (for himself, Mr. McDade, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Kind, Mr. Johnson 
  of Wisconsin, Mr. McHugh, Mr. Mascara, Mr. Sandlin, Mr. Peterson of 
 Pennsylvania, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Barcia, Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. 
   Strickland, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Walsh, and Mr. Klink) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                              Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Secretary 
  of Agriculture should establish a temporary emergency minimum milk 
 price that is equitable to all producers nationwide and that provides 
        price relief to economically distressed milk producers.

Whereas the basic formula price for milk established by the Secretary of 
        Agriculture under Federal milk marketing orders fell to a 6-year low of 
        $10.70 in May 1997 following months of substantial price volatility and 
        remained at similarly low levels throughout the summer of 1997;
Whereas the basic formula price for milk announced for each month since April 
        1997 has been below the cost of producing milk for milk producers in all 
        regions of the United States, as calculated by the Department of 
        Agriculture;
Whereas income losses to milk producers resulting from low milk prices have 
        imposed economic hardship on milk producers in all regions of the United 
        States;
Whereas lost income to milk producers may create economic losses to businesses 
        and result in loss of jobs in rural communities;
Whereas milk producers, rural residents, and agribusinesses in rural areas have 
        petitioned the Secretary of Agriculture to implement an emergency milk 
        price floor to provide price relief to milk producers;
Whereas the Secretary of Agriculture has authority under the Agricultural 
        Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), reenacted with amendments by the 
        Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to establish minimum 
        prices paid to milk producers covered by Federal milk marketing orders; 
        and
Whereas the Secretary of Agriculture has authority under section 143 of the 
        Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 U.S.C. 7253) to use informal 
        rulemaking to reform Federal milk marketing orders: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Secretary of Agriculture should immediately use the authority of 
the Secretary under the Agricultural Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.), reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural Marketing 
Agreement Act of 1937, to establish a temporary emergency minimum milk 
price that--
            (1) is equitable to all producers nationwide; and
            (2) provides price relief to economically distressed milk 
        producers.
                                 <all>
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