Chairman Pryor and Ranking Member Blunt: The Alliance for a Stronger FDA respectfully requests that the subcommittee recognize the critical role and expanding public health mission of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Allowing horse slaughter to resume will only bring the well documented abuse to U.S. soil at great expense to the horses and the American public.

Chairman Pryor and Ranking Member Blunt, I am David Terry, Executive Director of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), and I am testifying in support of funding for the energy title of the farm bill.

The fact that the very agency that will be tasked with overseeing horse slaughter facilities if they reopen has firmly articulated the importance of keeping this costly and inhumane industry out of the United States weighs overwhelmingly…

The REAP program was created in the 2002 farm bill and it has been a huge success.

I wish to talk about amendment No. 740, which is an amendment I am offering with the Senator from Missouri, Mr. Blunt. We understand there will be an objection to this. I will not ask unanimous consent to call it up at this moment…

I, like everyone else in the country, certainly on this subcommittee is very, very concerned about the fungal meningitis outbreak.

Let me start by thanking my ranking member, Senator Blunt, who has already proven to be a very good and effective partner and wise counsel in many, many ways.

Compounding pharmacies are a very important piece of the puzzle, and certainly we want those drugs to be as safe as they can be, just like all drugs.

I look forward to working with you. This was a great hearing.

Let me also just change the focus here for one moment to the National Center for Toxicological Research.

We just understand the circumstances, and I think everybody understands the circumstances we are in.