Mr. Dallas submits, with Mr. Prapaisilp

A RESOLUTION
expressing the sense of the House that agricultural subsidies for cotton should be reformed

WHEREAS, current United States policy towards upland cotton production and export is socially unjust and economically unfeasible;

WHEREAS, the subsidization of US upland cotton is a multi-billion dollar burden on the American taxpayer;

WHEREAS, the subsidization of US upland cotton encourages overproduction and significantly depresses the world market price of cotton, impoverishing millions of small farmers in developing nations;

WHEREAS, the World Trade Organization has upheld a complaint by the Brazil against United States subsidies for upland cotton production and export, which may lead to punitive actions against the United States;

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the United States of America, that this Congress shall undertake efforts to drastically reduce the scope and scale of direct and indirect subsidies for US upland cotton production and export.

Section 1.
REDUCTION IN COTTON SUBSIDIES
A.) The the Federal government will reduce the amount allotted to Cotton production and export subsidies by $100 million USD/ year, until the program is phased out for lack of funds.
B.) That $100 million referred to in Section 1.A. will be placed in a Agricultural Fund for Upland Cotton Farmers, to be used specifically to replace and retool agricultural equipment, irrigation systems, seed stores, storage and transportation equipment in order to retire cotton production equipment in favor of new crop production.
C.) These funds will be placed into the AFUCF program until no further funding for Upland Cotton production is available, at whch time the AFUCF will be terminated.

Section 2.
THE AGRICULTURAL FUND FOR UPLAND COTTON FARMERS-
A.) The AFUCF will be an agency under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture.
B.) Adequate funds are to be appropriated yearly for the staffing and opening of county AFUCF offices in any US county in which more than 10% of local agriculture is based on Upland Cotton production.
C.) An initial funding of $100 million USD is to be set aside from the General Funds for the Department of Agriculture (2004-2005 budget) to launch pilot offices in the following states: Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Aye

Aye.

Aye

aye

Aye.

Aye

--Please disregard my vote. I'm going campaigning--

The Chair votes Aye.

This bill passes by a vote of 6-0.