(Washington, D.C.) – Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) President Thomas A. Schatz issued the following statement today in response to a Senate vote preventing the extension of the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact.  By a vote of 53 to 47, the Senate failed to invoke cloture on a filibuster of an amendment extending the compact beyond its October 1, 1999 expiration date.

“I applaud today’s action by the Senate rejecting an attempt to extend the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact and prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from implementing reform of the Federal Milk Market Order system.

“The Northeast Compact allows a cartel of dairy producers in six New England states to artificially set the price of milk.  Extension of the compact past its October expiration date would continue this unfair “milk tax” that has already cost consumers more than $70 billion.

“Moderate reform of milk market orders, implemented by USDA earlier this year, was also under attack in the Senate today.  The Senate action allows these reforms to go forward, saving consumers at least $100 million annually.

“Despite today’s victory, CCAGW will remain vigilant against continuing efforts in Congress to extend or expand regional dairy compacts, reverse USDA’s milk market order reform and mandate higher milk prices.”

CCAGW is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a 600,000 member nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.