Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to provide the members of the Board with an update on the activities of your Political Action Committee. I know you have a full agenda of important policy matters to discuss, but I believe it is appropriate to devote a few minutes to one of our important resources in shaping policies, which affect our industry.
Mr. Chairman, you and your colleagues are used to hearing me express appreciation for the support CAC receives and then move on to bemoan the sorry state of our financial affairs. Well I want to deliver a little good news today. Thanks to Chairman Greene’s willingness to make CAC top priority and thanks to the Herculean efforts of our Steering Committee members and others, CAC is off to a great start for the 2003 Campaign. We have already received contributions totaling a little over $150,000, which is more than we raised in all of 2002. We have contributed about $100,000 to our friends in Congress and we have approximately $75,000 on hand. While everyone should receive credit for their extra-special efforts, I want to recognize the South Texas producers and ginners for organizing a campaign, which raised over $17,000. I also want to compliment Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and California for having already exceeded their goals for the year. The good news is that in spite of continued economic hardship; Council members recognize the importance of supporting members of Congress and candidates who share our concerns about the challenges facing our industry.
As I reported to you at the annual meeting, the implementation of the new campaign finance law placed added significance on PACs. In the absence of soft-money, members of Congress and candidates have to rely more heavily on PACs and individual contributors. So CAC has taken-on added significance.
Not only has the campaign finance law changed the rules, turnover in Congress has changed the political landscape and redistricting has added an element of uncertainty.
Last year’s elections brought a number of new cottonbelt members to the House. In the Senate, a combination of retirements and the defeat of incumbents resulted in 7 new cottonbelt Senators.
[Republicans: Dole-NC; Graham-SC; Chambliss-GA; Alexander-TN; Talent-MO; Cornyn-TX and Democrat Pryor-AR)
We can expect more change this cycle. Senator Miller of Georgia and Senator Hollings of South Carolina have already announced they will not run and we are waiting for Senator Edwards of North Carolina and Senator Graham of Florida to announce their intentions. There are even some preliminary indications that Senator Breaux may decide to run for Governor of Louisiana and Senator Frist has already indicated he will not seek another term when his current term expires in 2006. Then there are always the surprises – like the resignation of Larry Combest and the possibility of yet another redistricting plan in Texas which could pit Charlie Stenholm against another incumbent in an entirely different district.
All of this is to say we continue to need your assistance in identifying candidates who share our views. And we need your financial support to ensure we can provide the funds our friends need to successfully seek election to the House and Senate. You know the challenges we face in farm policy, trade, taxes and appropriations. As I always caution, CAC can’t guarantee favorable results, but it certainly provides us an opportunity to make our case.
Let me leave you with an example of how unexpectedly things can change in Congress. In 2005, if the Senate remains in Republican control, Senator Thad Cochran, currently Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee will become the Chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee after serving 22 years in the Senate. When Senator Cochran moves to the Appropriations Chair the Senate Agriculture Committee could be chaired by Senator Pat Roberts or if he decides to remain Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Senator Saxby Chambliss would become chairman of the Agriculture Committee after serving just 2 years in the Senate.
As I constantly emphasize, we need your guidance and your financial support. Most importantly we need to be prepared to adjust to change. CAC has never been more important to this industry, than in today’s challenging times.
Again, Mr. Chairman thank you for the opportunity to address the Board and for your leadership in support of CAC. And, as a parting thought I must remind you, please consider donating part or all of your travel reimbursement to CAC.
