Victor Fazio: “I rise in support of it, and want to express my deep thanks for the way in which the people I represent in agriculture…”

“I rise in support of it, and want to express my deep thanks for the way in which the people I represent in agriculture in California have been treated in this bill and in prior bills. I have enjoyed greatly my opportunity to serve on this committee, and this bill reflects the impact that the very important agricultural State of California has on our national economy, and this bill at the same time responds well to that. Each appropriation bill is an amalgam of agencies and issues, but I believe our bill--even though it is confined primarily to one department--is one of the most challenging to balance adequately. We provide funding for farm programs, for rural development and housing, for food safety and operations of the Food and Drug Administration, to promote foreign trade, for research and support for our land-grant colleges, and for human nutrition programs for our school children, for pregnant women and young children, and for others in need.”