Kevin Roberts: “I thank the Senator. This has been a long process--well over a year. We had the committee hearing within the Agriculture…”

“I thank the Senator. This has been a long process--well over a year. We had the committee hearing within the Agriculture Committee months ago with the EPA, FDA, and many witnesses declaring that agricultural biotechnology is safe. Note I changed the name because GMO has become a pejorative. It is hard to fix that, but that is what it is--agricultural biotechnology. We went to work and passed a bill, 14 to 6. Then we tried to change the bill so that the minority could possibly vote for it. Unfortunately, we were not able to get the required number of votes for cloture. Back then, it would have been very appropriate, it seems to me, for anybody interested to bring their amendment to the floor. Senator Merkley is here. We offered--at least through staff--he tells me he didn't get the message, but I was for all amendments at that particular time. We didn't even get cloture.”