María Elvira Salazar: “I rise today to state that I will vote for the emergency supplemental conference report that is before us, and I will do…”

“I rise today to state that I will vote for the emergency supplemental conference report that is before us, and I will do so without hesitation. I expect that most of my colleagues will also join in that vote. We will vote in that way because we know our brave men and women in uniform are currently in harm's way. They are in harm's way, and they need the resources this bill provides for them to move forward. I also strongly support the hurricane relief and the reconstruction element of this conference report. Those funds are very much needed to address the urgent issues we are facing in the gulf coast and the reconstruction of that area from the disaster which was caused by Hurricane Katrina. I appreciate the leadership of Chairman Cochran and the rest of the delegation from the Gulf Coast States that has brought this matter to the urgent attention of the American Nation. But I also rise to express my disappointment in what is not in this conference report and to help give voice with my colleagues to the millions of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities where needs have not been met in this report. I am disappointed with the prevailing attitude in our Nation's Capital for the men and women who produce an abundant supply of the safest and highest quality food in the world. This bill is literally leaving them out to dry. Last year, a bipartisan group of Senators recognized the dire situation that was facing our Nation's farmers and ranchers.…”