Date: 1988-03-16
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of House Resolution 388 which provides funding for the standing and select committees of the House. including the Committee on Agriculture. I believe that the funding authorization developed by the Subcommittee on Accounts and by the Committee on House Adninistration is prudent and conservative. based on the increasing responsibilities which fall upon ill of us. During the coming year. the House Agriculture Committee will have a busy legislative schedule as it deals with the continuing problems of providing adequate funding for human nutrition needs. increasing our vigilance in protection of the environment. in protecting farmer income in order to maintain the fabric of familybased agriculture. and in assisting those farmers who can no longer maintain their family farms to make an orderly and productive transition to other work. In addition. the committee will have greater oversight responsibilities as the 1985 farm billthe Food Security Act of 1985begins to make its maximum impact on the exporting of American agricultural products around the world. In that regard. agricultural exports have been the brightest spot In what has been an otherwise fairly dismal export picture. We want agriculture to play an even more important role in the years ahead In solving our balanceofpayment problems. Our members play an active and important role in the oneonone discussions with foreign agicultural leaders who are so important to this process. I. as chairman of the committee. have visited Japan. one of our most Important purchasers of agricultural products In the last year. and have met with considerable numbers of Japanese groups and individuals of great Important to our agricultural trade with that country. Mr. Speaker. these and other efforts in support of our agricultural exports to Japan. the Soviet Union. and most of the developed world must be carried out in the most prudent and costeffective waybut they are essential if we are to go forward and play our rightful role In the policymaking efforts of this body. Our efforts in the area of agricultural trade take on even greater Important as we approach the allimportant Uruguay round of GATT negotiations. In the past. the Committee on House Administration has cited the Committee on Agriculture for its record of fiscal management and for our equitable distribution of available resources between the majority and minority. I am proud to report to you today that the staff of the Committee on Agriculture. In spite of our Increased responsibilities and needs. is smaller than in previous years. Also. the committee was able to manage its affairs in such a way as to utilize less than our budget allocation for last year. Mr. Speaker. I am proud of our past record and I want to assure you that we expect to continue to administer the work of the Committee on Agriculture In such a way as to reflect favorably upon every member of the committee and this body. The funding measure which you have before you today. House Resolution 388. is one that is. I believe. prudent and reasonable and which should have the support of all Members of this body.