Milk Price Discovery Improvement Act of 1997

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 4, 1997

Milk Price Discovery Improvement Act of 1997 - Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from directly or indirectly using a price established on the National Cheese Exchange to determine the basic formula price for milk. Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to direct the Secretary to develop a dairy price discovery and reporting system, which shall include: (1) collection and dissemination of weekly cheese prices; (2) technical assistance to organize a cash market alternative to the National Cheese Exchange; and (3) studies of improved volume in dairy futures trading and on creation of an electronic dairy exchange. Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act, reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to provide for oversight of cash markets affecting Federal milk marketing orders.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI] · D–WI

Committees

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Feb 4, 1997
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
Feb 4, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S958-959)
Feb 4, 1997
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Feb 4, 1997 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 646 · Milk Price Discovery Improvement Act of 1997

Source last updated: Aug 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.258 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.258, 105th Congress: Milk Price Discovery Improvement Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/258

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-02-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s258/BILLS-105s258is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:12:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.258 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.258 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.258, 105th Congress: Milk Price Discovery Improvement Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/258

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-02-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s258/BILLS-105s258is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:12:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.258 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.258 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.258, 105th Congress: Milk Price Discovery Improvement Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/258

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-02-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s258/BILLS-105s258is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:12:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.258 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.258 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.258, 105th Congress: Milk Price Discovery Improvement Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/258

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-02-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s258/BILLS-105s258is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:12:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.258 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.