Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today it is my honor to introduce a bill that would create the U.S. Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund. I am joined in this effort by my good friends, and fellow ``Citrus State Senators''--Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. By introducing this bill, it is our collective goal to create a guaranteed source of funding for scientific research aimed at addressing diseases, invasive pests, and other challenges faced by the U.S. citrus industry. Most importantly, the scientific research supported by my bill would benefit all citrus producers, regardless of where the citrus is growing. Citrus growers in the U.S. shouldn't have to ask themselves if this is the year a disease or a pest will wipe them out. That's why having a permanent fund to help combat these threats just makes a lot of sense. The most serious of these threats is citrus greening, a disease which kills the citrus tree and is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, an insect no bigger than my fingernail. Because it attacks the tree and because it is so easily spread, this disease has the ability to wipe out the entire citrus industry. My bill does not require new funding or create any new taxes--it is funded by a portion of the existing import duties collected from imported citrus products.…”