Bob Dole: This is Congressman Bob Dole with my weekly radio report from Washington. I certainly wish to thank the station for carrying our program as a public service broadcast.

I think again this week I will discuss what is — a very — [correcting himself] a matter of very important concerns in the Big First district of Kansas, and that is the possibilities of wheat legislation. As you perhaps know, Congress is now in recess until Monday, July 8. It'll be well to point out that on July 10 and July 11 we will have wheat subcommittee hearings, and as a member of that subcommittee, I think that we can probably guess with some precision, following these meetings, whether or not we are going to have any wheat legislation this year. And I'm talking about the legislation which would require considerable hearings — legislation that might present some new approach to the problem. It is always possible, of course, in some last- minute effort, there could be an extension of present law, or some other stopgap legislation.

I might point out very frankly — and I think this is the matter that should be studied carefully by farmers — that many, many farmers have written indicating that they voted ‘no’ because they wanted no new legislation. And again, I urge you that if you feel this way or if you feel that we do need some program, that you let us know, because one of the biggest comments or one of the comments most often heard — stated correctly — is that we haven't heard from the farmers. The farmers want nothing because they haven't written. We've explained that as far as a farmer in Kansas is concerned, right now he is busy harvesting. In fact, now, in most places, you’ve finished, but you still have other groundwork to do. But it does indicate that, to me, that perhaps there is this feeling among the members of the subcommittee because many of them say, ‘Well, I had only six letters,’ — ‘I've only had a dozen letters,’ — ‘I've only had 25 letters.’ And the letters I received have been from farmers who Say, ‘It's time we got the government out of agriculture. I voted ‘no’ because I want the government out, and please don't pass any new legislation.’ And if this is the way you feel, of course, we would appreciate your comments and suggestions on this.

I do think that with Secretary [of Agriculture Orville] Freeman announcing that he would visit Russia for one month, would indicate that the Administration has no real desire to put any effort behind wheat legislation this year. And despite the differences Members of Congress have had, including myself, with Mr. Freeman — or what I felt were very strict control programs right down the line — he does have some influence with urban Democrat Members and some Democrat Members from rural areas. And I do believe that his departure for Russia to study agriculture conditions there would be a very strong indication that this administration, at least for the time being — and I think Mr. Freeman made this statement last week in a press conference — are not seeking any new legislation.

Now if this is true, I do believe that Secretary Freeman should clarify some of the administrative problems which would result in the event that there is no new legislation. I think, one — and I have set this forth in a letter to Mr. Freeman — and in fact, five points which I feel he should clarify, and he should make some definite announcement to the farmer that there will be no new legislation, as far as this Administration is concerned. Because with that announcement, I think, we can Say very frankly that there would be no new legislation because the Democrats have an 80-vote majority in the House of Representatives and they have a two-to-one margin in the Senate. And if this Administration goes on record saying there would be no new wheat legislation, then I believe we can probably assume that will be the case. But if this is the case, then, I think, in fairness to the wheat producers in Kansas — and everywhere in this country — Secretary Freeman should ask — [correcting himself] should answer some questions about the present — the existing program.

I Know many farmers have written about the possible loss of history if they overplant their allotments, and this is true, we have an official opinion from the USDA [United States Department of Agriculture] which we'll be happy to mail to anyone who requests it. But we think the regulations should be changed, and if a law is necessary, then Secretary Freeman should urge the support in the enactment of such a law. Because when quotas have been voted down by the farmers as they were on May 21st, I don't think it's fair to turn around and penalize the farmer and threaten him with a possible loss of history if he overplants his allotments. I'm not saying that anybody should gain history by overplanting their allotment, but he certainly should not be penalized in a year when there are no quotas in effect. And I think this is the way it should be: when there are no quotas in effect, he has a right to overplant his allotment without losing any history. And I believe, too, that there are other very important questions, and one deals with cross compliance on a basis that you'll get no conservation reserve payment, if you did not stay within your wheat allotment. I think this is another punitive measure — and one that was not contemplated when the amendment was offered several years ago. These are two of the five questions we have asked Secretary Freeman to answer, and we're hopeful that in the following weeks we can discuss his answers; though, as yet it's been about two weeks now, and we've had no reply.

Again, this is Bob Dole, and please contact me: Room 244, House Office Building, if you have any comments or suggestions. Thank you.