Amendment Spares Farm Credit Programs

Fri., June 12, 1998

By Jim Camden jimc@spokesman.com (509) 879-7461

Farm credit programs that allow Pakistan to buy Northwest wheat should not be subject to economic sanctions, a key U.S. Senate committee said Thursday.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to the 1999 farm spending bill that will exempt programs like GSM 102.

A bipartisan coalition, led by Sens. Patty Murray and Slade Gorton of Washington and Larry Craig of Idaho, said the amendment was needed to protect Northwest farmers.

Grain is already exempt from the embargo, but federal lawyers have said a 1994 law that requires sanctions against any country testing nuclear weapons would apply to credit programs.

In a letter to Murray, National Security Adviser Samuel Berger said the administration supports the proposal.

The amendment is similar to one approved by a House subcommittee Wednesday. The Senate plan is retroactive to cover credit for sales of grain after the embargo takes effect but before the bill becomes law.

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Amendment Spares Farm Credit Programs

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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