TO EXTEND AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS -- (Senate - March 12, 2008)

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, let me add to the remarks of the majority leader that I, too, believe it is important to have a farm bill. It has been a challenging process, to say the least, for our negotiators, but they continue to make progress. I, too, am optimistic that we can get there. I think it is important to the country that we do get there. This extension we just passed was regretfully necessary, but it doesn't lessen in any way the need to get a farm bill, a 5- or 6-year extension, depending upon what is negotiated. We are continuing to work along those lines and hope to get there.

I yield the floor.