DELEGATION BANDS TOGETHER ON FARM BILL
By Melanie Fonder

Oct. 8, 2001

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "Milwaukee Night" is a longtime favorite event of transplanted Wisconsinites in Washington.

But Thursday Oct. 4 at the Miller Lite-, brats- and cheese-filled event, there was no time all nine members of the state's House delegation could be there at the same time. That's because one member had to be on the floor at all times during the farm bill debate for fear that a dairy compact amendment would be raised if they were not vigilant.

Still, a vote to bring up an amendment on dairy compacts failed overwhelmingly, even after several
northeastern members argued passionately that the issue should be debated on the House floor because Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Menominee Falls, would not allow a hearing on dairy compacts.

Another less successful fight during the farm bill debate was over an amendment proposed by Reps. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, and Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., that would have emphasized conservation over crop subsidies. The amendment was defeated on a 226-200 vote even though the Bush administration said it was dissatisfied with the subsidies version of the bill. The entire Wisconsin delegation voted for the doomed amendment.

The $73 billion, 10-year farm bill passed Friday on a 291-120 vote, with the entire delegation voting against its passage.

The farm bill, which is not due to be reworked until next year, faces a less certain future in the Senate. But Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has vowed to emphasize
conservation in his bill, which he could unveil before this session of Congress wraps up in the next few weeks.

KOHL CRITICIZES FAA CHIEF

Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Milwaukee, sent a scathing letter to Federal Aviation Administration chief Jane Garvey on Friday, saying he plans to introduce legislation to force FAA action to improve air security.

Garvey issued stricter regulations for private chartered aircraft. But the restrictions also said that the start date for the regulations would be subject to the administrator's determination of a threat and that no such threat currently existed.

"It is inconceivable to me that you could look at the events of the last month - and the public warnings of other members of President's Bush's cabinet - and decide that there is no threat of a hijacker chartering a plane or hijacking another sort of large, unsecured aircraft and using it as a missile against targets on the ground," Kohl wrote.

Kohl's legislation will deal specifically with private chartered planes and would immediately increase security screenings for anyone trying to charter a plane. While the FAA will have flexibility in devising the regulations, the "administrator will not be able to decline to regulate based on FAA's assessment of threat. Doing nothing will no longer be an option."

Expressing "disappointment" that Garvey had not responded to another letter Kohl sent on Sept. 20, he asked that Garvey respond specifically to these questions:

"Today, would it be possible for a terrorist group or individual to charter a private jet of any size, carry on weapons or explosives in luggage or carry-ons which are not required to be screened, hijack the plane, and crash it into a landmark? ...

"Today, would it be possible for a terrorist group or individual to charter a private jet of any size, carry on a biological or chemical agent in luggage or carry-ons that are not required to be screened, open a door, and deliver that agent into the air virtually anywhere?"

MCCALLUM SETS PRIORITIES

Gov. Scott McCallum, Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist and Milwaukee County Executive Tom Ament were among the state officials who flew into Washington for "Milwaukee Night."

In an interview, McCallum said he spent the day meeting with members of the Wisconsin delegation to discuss his top priorities, including the dairy compact, the Hoan Bridge, the open U.S. attorney and judgeship slots, anti-terrorism legislation, the Badger ammo plant and an economic stimulus package.

Speaking before the crowd, McCallum also announced that Midwest Express service to Reagan National Airport - the last airport in the country to be reopened since the Sept. 11 attacks - would resume.

Listing the dairy compact as the most-discussed item of the day, McCallum said his broader priority was keeping the delegation working in a bipartisan fashion.

"The No. 1 (priority) is that we continue to work together to build the state of Wisconsin," McCallum said. "That is the most important aspect. So while there are a lot of different issues, I want to make sure that we all understand that we're all working for the state of Wisconsin."

Read the entire interview with McCallum.


Melanie Fonder is a staff writer for The Hill, a weekly newspaper that covers Capitol Hill, and Washington correspondent for WisPolitics.com. A version of this column also may have appeared in the Green Bay News-Chronicle. Write to Melanie care of WisPolitics at info@wispolitics.com