Jimmy Panetta

The rhetorical framing of these proposals, and the proposals themselves, seek to punish struggling Americans with harsh penalties for conditions beyond their control.

Is government-imposed hunger--forcing people off needed benefits without adequate training or opportunities--an appropriate function of the Federal Government?

Does USDA truly believe that the receipt of SNAP benefits prevents unemployed ABAWDs from seeking and securing gainful employment?

I appreciate you bringing this up as a topic because I see it every day, how important it is to have immigrants continuing to be a part of our country.

We unequivocally oppose the proposed rule change, which would restrict states' flexibility to provide vital nutrition support to people who struggle to feed themselves and their families.

One of the reasons why that proposal failed was because there was absolutely no evidence that those proposals would work.

Thank you very much for being here.

There is no law requiring a taxpayer to turn over the tax returns to this Committee

Because of the important role that they will play, and because of the lack of any information on what this can do for these ag workers, I am against the resolution.

You have shown a great deal of empathy and understanding when it comes to this issue and how it affects our specialty crops.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, but like a typical marine, he actually got it wrong. I was actually in the Navy.

One is here in Congress with proper immigration reform, but two is mechanization in dealing with the lack of labor.

I come from an area on the central coast of California that, unfortunately, suffered the most expensive wildfire in our Nation's history this last year, the Soberanes Fire.

I am concerned that a proposal from the National Organics Standards Board (NOSB) could be working counter to those goals.

Will you commit to examining best practices for utilizing the NOSB moving forward?

I am very proud that you are here, Secretary.

I disagree from a legal standpoint, being a lawyer.

I hail from the central coast of California, the 20th congressional district there--Monterey, Santa Cruz, Salinas, what I would consider one of the most beautiful areas in the Nation.

It was almost done--I hate to sound conspiratorial, but almost a secretive kind of process and not one that we are used to in fisheries management.

I think that is something we should learn in Congress, to be honest with you, that you cannot just have one side cram legislation through, you have to be able to come and talk about it on both sides.

Absolutely, these monuments are critical to research.

These are big numbers and these are the activities that these monuments promote and really develop.

I will be submitting to you bill language that expands the pool of qualified marriage and family therapists in order to increase access to mental health providers for our Active Duty military personnel.

I am not actually talking about hardware, military hardware, but I am talking about something that I feel is just as important, and that is the education of our military members.

Thank you very much for this opportunity. I appreciate it. It is an honor to be here, as always.