Date: 1984-04-12
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I apprecib e the gentlemans statement and his commendation. but I am. going to take credit for it because it came with blood. sweat. and tears. and I am happy that the distinguished Budget Committee has included it in this legislation. I am not going to involve myself in the other parts of the legislation. I will leave that to the leadership on the Budget Committee. but I do want to briefly discuss our involvement. the Committee on Agriculture. The day before yesterday. President Reagan signed the legislation. and he said: "The first installment of the deficit downpayment." And he was in a very happy. positive. and cheerful mood. I want the people of the United States to know that our Agriculture Committee. my distinguished ranking minority member. the gentleman from Illinois . and the other members of the committee. worked dlligently and arduously. as difficult as it is to work with the Senate. and to come up with something that Is acceptable to both sides and eventually to the White House. But what I want to say is. at this time. when the American farmer probably is suffering the worst that he had since the Great Depression. when we have a tremendous number of bankruptcies. through no fault of their own but. rather. high interest rates. inflation. and all the high value of the dollar problems abroad. but all of the things that impact on the farmer notwithstanding. the Agriculture Committee. with the approval. consent and acquiesence of the American agricultural sector cutthe figures varyaround $3 billion. The President acknowledged that and he said that it was the first step. I am proud that we have taken that first step when in hurts. You do not know the true value of a friend until he gives when it hurts him. It is very easy to be grandiose. it is very easy to have lprgesse when you have got it abounding all around you. I commend the Budget Committee. and I appreci. ate it. on behalf of American agriculture and our committee. that they would consolidate this. our effort. into their bill. I do not say that it is a pitiful. puny package. because a first step is a first step. I want to set in proper perspective what it means by telling you a story. When I was 17 years old. I joined the Navy. They told me if I joined. I would see the world. No way. I went to San Diego. Calif.. and Great Lakes. Ill. I harassed every officer I could get to" that I wanted to go on board a ship. I wanted to go to sea. I never went to sea. When I got out of the Navy. some of the older people asked me. "What was your ship. son?" And I would have to say. "Great Lakes. Ill." That was my ship. But when I came to Congress. we had a liaison from the several services. and once I asked if I could go on a ship. They took me to Virginia. and we went on this car. ier and we saw how it operated. Eventually I worked my way to a submarine. one of the nuclearpowered submarines. and we went and we dove and we went under the water. and we had a wonderful day experiencing. to me. a lifetime impression of being In a nuclearpowered submarine under the Atlantic Ocean. Well. after I had been briefed and everything. and I had asked every question. there was one question left to ask: How long can this submarine stay underwater without surfacing? The commander told me. "That is a military secret." So I did not want to involve myself with military secrets. But he said. "Take a guess." So I am thinking 8 year. 4 years. I said. "Four years." And he smiled and he said. "No. You are chairman of the Agriculture Committee. arent you?" I said. "Yes." He said. "Take another guess." "I give up." I told him. He looked me straight in the eye. and he told me. "This submarine can stay underwater as long as I have food for my crew." So who runs the defense of this country? The farmers of America run the defense of this country. That shuttle out there that is In space. unmanned. it can stay there for I million years. How long can it stay out there manned? As long as they have food. So without the farmer. nothing funetions. And that is the sector that Is hurting the most. with bankrupteles. with the high cost of implements. with low prices for their crops. with bad weather. with everything that is negative. But yet I can stand here before you today and say. "This is the group that is saving you $3 billion as a downpayment on the deficit." That is what the President said. and I repeat that. So any detracting or any trying to make this Democrat or Republican or right or left. I think. is not proper. I think that we should put it in its proper perspective. that the farmers of America. not Democrats. not RepublicansAmericansare willing to sacrifice so that we may start the downtrend on that deficit.