Senate Votes, 92-0, for Broad Drought Relief

The Senate today voted overwhelming approval of a $3.9-billion drought relief bill designed to aid hundreds of thousands of farmers and ranchers battered by one of the driest growing seasons on record.

“This bill is a message of hope to the American farmer,” Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said shortly before the 92-0 vote. “Help is on the way.”

The politically popular legislation, the most expensive disaster relief measure ever enacted for agriculture, was expected to receive final legislative approval in the House as early as Tuesday. President Reagan is expected to sign it into law within days of receiving it.

Agriculture Department officials have said the assistance could begin reaching farmers about 60 days after enactment.

‘Driven From Their Land’

“Without this legislation, I have to believe there would be a lot of farmers and farm families driven from their land,” said Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.).

According to the Department of Agriculture, 43% of the country’s landmass was suffering from severe or extreme drought in mid-July, the fourth-worst percentage since the government began keeping the statistics in 1895. The highest measurement was made in 1934, when 61% of the nation’s area was similarly parched.

The government estimated last month that the country’s corn crop will be down 29%, barley production down 42%, oats down 43% and spring wheat down 51% from a normal year.

Under the legislation, growers who lose more than 35% of their crop because of the drought would be entitled to an emergency payment totaling 65% of their expected federal subsidy or of the anticipated market price of the crop, up to $100,000.

The legislation was worked out last week by negotiators in the House and Senate, which had approved separate versions of the bill in July.