WASHINGTON – New England’s 12 senators asked congressional leaders to extend price controls on New England milk – due to expire next week – until Congress has time to turn its attention to major farm legislation, probably next year.

“At a time when the very economic fabric of our nation is being assaulted, we must give security wherever possible to our constituents and our consumers,” the 12 senators, led by Democrat Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine, said in a letter released Friday.

Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., a vocal opponent of the Northeast Dairy Compact, criticized the request’s timing – a week after deadly terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

“This is clearly not the time to engage in a divisive regional debate, and not the time to extend policies that pit one region of our country against another,” said Kohl.