SENATOR LUGAR CALLS FOR CARGO PREFERENCE REPEAL The senior Republican on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, Richard Lugar of Indiana, called for repeal of the cargo preference law that aids the American shipping industry but which he said hurts farmers. "Cargo preference is a costly special interest operated at the expense of American farmers and dockworkers," Lugar said in signing on as a co-sponsor or cargo preference repeal legislation. The law requires shipment of U.S. goods on American ships rather than foreign vessels which are less costly.