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A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE
SENATOR FROM KANSAS.
MR. MORAN: MR. PRESIDENT,
THANK YOU.
I'D ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
THE QUORUM CALL BE LIFTED.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. MORAN: MR. PRESIDENT,
YESTERDAY WE CONCLUDED OUR WORK
HERE IN THE SENATE ON OUR
VERSION OF THE AGRICULTURAL
APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, A
MEMBER OF THE AGRICULTURE
APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE AND
I SUPPORTED THE LEGISLATION THAT
WE PASSED BUT THERE IS AN
OUTSTANDING ISSUE AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THAT I
WAS ONLY RECENTLY MADE AWARE OF.
IT'S, TO ME, A VERY SERIOUS
ISSUE, WHICH GIVEN MORE TIME, I
WOULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION HERE ON
THE SENATE FLOOR.
IT IS AN ISSUE THAT I'LL
CONTINUE TO PURSUE IS AS A
MEMBER OF THE CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE AS WE WORK TOWARD OUR
FINAL FY 2012 AGRICULTURE
APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
THE ISSUE INVOLVES A MEMO ISSUED
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
LAST MONTH, OCTOBER 6,
AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE ANIMAL PLANT
INSPECTION SERVICE, APHIS, TO
CONDUCT AN ANIMAL WELLNESS
FORUM.
THIS WAS APPROVED BY UNDER
SECRETARY EDWARD AVELOS.
I'D ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
SUBMIT THE USDA'S MEMO FOR THE
RECORD.
OFFICER SPH WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. MORAN: THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
THE IRONIC THING ABOUT THIS
FORUM IS THAT THERE'S LITTLE
SCIENCE INVOLVED.
IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN, IN MY
VIEW, THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE SPENDING TAXPAYER
DOLLARS TON A FORUM TO PROVIDE
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED
STATES A PUBLIC FORUM TO ESPOUSE
ITS ANTIAGRICULTURAL VIEWS.
THE DOCUMENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
IN THIS REGARD, AND ON PAGE 2,
THE DOCUMENT STATE THAT APHIS,
REPRESENTATIVES BELIEVE THAT THE
HUMANE SOCIETY'S INTENT IS TO
PROMOTE AND POSITION THE
ORGANIZATION TO BE RECOGNIZED
NATIONALLY AS INFLUENCING APHIS
POLICY ON CRITICAL AND SENSITIVE
WELFARE ISSUES.
AFTER READING THAT STATEMENT, IT
BECOMES CLEAR THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS
INDICATERING TO AN -- IS
CATERING TO AN OUTSIDE
ORGANIZATION INSTEAD OF RELYING
ON THE UNIVERSITIES OR
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
IF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
WAS INTERESTED IN SCIENCE, WHY
ALLOW AN ANIMAL RIGHTS
ORGANIZATION TO STEER ITS
AGENDA?
WOULD WHY WOULDN'T THEY SIMPLY
QUT LATEST RESEARCH FROM
SCIENTISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO
MAKE SURE ITS GUIDANCE IS UP TO
DATE?
IN ADDITION TO CATERING TO HSUS
IN PLANNING THIS FORUM, THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS
PRECLUDING INPUT FROM MEMBER OF
THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY THAT
IT'S SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT.
THE MEMO STATES THAT HSUS AND
OTHER WELFARE ADVOCACY GROUPS
WOULD BE INVITED TO MEET WITH A
PREPLANNING MEETING.
THESE GROUPS WOULD VIN PUT INTO
THE TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED,
POTENTIAL SPEAKERS FOR THE
TOPICS, DATES AND TIME FOR THE
FORUM, HOW THE FORUM SHOULD RUN,
ET CETERA.
THAT'S QUOTING FROM THE MEMO.
NO MENTION IS MADE IN THE MEMO
OF ASKING ANY AGRICULTURAL
ORGANIZATION OR ANIMAL SCIENTIST
FOR PREPLANNING ASSISTANCE.
ACCORDING TO THE MEMO, HSUS IS
GOING TO SET THE AGENDA FOR THIS
FORUM, EVEN IF THE AGRICULTURAL
INDUSTRY IS LATER INVITED TO THE
EVENT, AGRICULTURE WOULD HAVE
THE CARDS ALREADY STACKED
AGAINST THEM.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR MOST
AMERICANS TO UNDERSTAND THAT
HSUS IS NOT YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL
SHELTER.
HSUS IS A NATIONAL LOBBYING
ORGANIZATION THAT SPENDS MOST OF
ITS BUDGET TO LOBBY AGAINST
FARMERS AND RANCHERS THAT
PROVIDE US WITH THE FOOD AND
CLOTHING THAT WE ENJOY IN THIS
COUNTRY.
IN FACT, TAX DOCUMENTS SHOW THAT
HSUS SPENDS LESS THAN 1% OF ITS
BUDGET ON GRANTS TO ANIMAL
SHELTERS.
GIVEN THESE FACTS, YOU WOULD
HAVE TO WONDER WHY THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS
GIVING THIS ORGANIZATION THIS
PLATFORM AND SHUNNING PRODUCER
ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS IS ONE MORE DEMONSTRATION
THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS NO
REAL FRIEND OF RURAL AMERICA OR
THE AMERICAN FARMER AND RANCHER.
MY PURPOSE THIS MORNING IS TO
INFORM MY FELLOW SENATORS ON
WHAT I CONSIDER THIS TROUBLING
DEVELOPMENT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND TO PUT THE
SECRETARY ON NOTICE THAT THIS
TYPE OF CONDUCT FROM THE
DEPARTMENT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
THE DEPARTMENT'S MISSION
STATEMENT READS LIKE THIS:
"WE PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ON FOOD,
AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES,
AND RELATED ISSUES BASED UPON
SOUND PUBLIC POLICY, THE BEST
AVAILABLE SCIENCE, AND EFFICIENT
MANAGEMENT.
USDA SHOULD LIVE UP TO ITS
MISSION STATEMENT AND TWORK
PROMOTE AGRICULTURE, NOT TO WORK
AGAINST FARMERS AND RANCHERS'
BEST INTERESTS.
AND I WOULD SAY, NOT TO WORK
AGAINST THE BEST INTERESTS OF
THE CONSUMER OF FOOD IN THIS
COUNTRY.
GOING FORWARD, I'LL DO BEST TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE ADHERES TO ITS
MISSION STATEMENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND I