Mike Johanns

You know, you raise a valid point. It occurred to me years and years ago, as I would work with communities across the State as Governor, that resources were always tough to come by.

We should not speak down to rural folk. They get this. They want to do it.

Sometimes the regulatory requirements to build that road or to do whatever are just so incredibly onerous for a small town.

It would be terribly unfortunate if 5 years from now... we looked back and saw that this regional concept resulted in the region developing a situation where 90 percent of the economic benefits... went to the biggest town in the region.

The roots of successful development are there in rural communities in Nebraska and across this country.

I have made rural development a priority throughout my years of public service.

Thriving rural areas are in the best interest of this country, especially in States like ours.

I appreciate what they feel is a more open environment to the EPA, and I know you are working on that communication.

My hope is that there will not be any issue, that compliance will be timely, and it will be done as required by the legislation.

My hope is, at the end of this, we can all celebrate the fact that we hit the budget, we hit the timeline, and the building is up and going and doing the things that we want it to do.

If there is anything as this project is going along that you would like my Senate office to pay attention to, we are happy to do it.

I also would like to say thanks really to the Air Force. You have displayed great commitment to the United States Strategic Command (U.S. STRATCOM) replacement facility in my State.

I met with her when I was Secretary of Agriculture.

I think if you would work with us, USDA, the Farm Bureau, FFA (Future Farmers of America), 4-H, on and on, about a program that says, look, here are some practices we would like to talk about in terms of protecting yourself, and kind of a…

When it comes to family farms, haven't we, as Congress with this rider language, basically told you what we believe the situation is in terms of how to define a family farm?

We need more funding. It is not in my DNA, typically.

I think those comments are extremely important, and I would strongly suggest that somebody in the Administration should pay attention to those comments.

I cannot imagine why USAID would want to be involved, or even should be involved... It just seems crazy that you would be in the middle of that.

Funding has declined in Public Law 480-- Title II as commodity prices have gone up.

I want to reiterate my disappointment. I think it was important that I use my time to express this.

I met with her when I was Secretary of Agriculture.

No one wants these deaths to occur. They are just hugely tragic.

If you have more than 10 outside employees, guess what, you are no longer a family operation.

I grew up on a farm myself. I have been around grain bins, power takeoff shafts, all of those things.

As Senator Moran pointed out, for about 35 years, Congress has looked at this area and put language in that basically said, if you employ more than 10 outside employees, then you are subject to OSHA.