I just want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for these series of hearings, because this is a very, very, very, very important subject that this Committee grapples with.

the key point that you are making there that identifying the problem is step one. Step two is fixing it.

Our Chairwoman and Ranking Member on the Subcommittee, Mrs. Walorski and Mr. McGovern, have been an integral part of all of that as well.

It is indeed a very interesting hearing, but it is very important that we get to the focus of this hearing.

cutting the food stamp program is not the answer to that.

You deserve the recognition, because I know it has been a tough grind for you, but the nation appreciates it.

Congress, and the policy of Congress, must not do things to undermine SNAP's success.

this really disturbs me, because there are sectors of our American people who are in certain types of situations that are no fault of their own.

1.7 million should gravitate this nation to realizing this is more than a national crisis. It is a national disgrace.

Now, there is also a growing movement and they use this term, healthy foods, right, we fight that battle, that limit the items that the food stamp recipient can get only to healthy foods.

this rule by the Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service is impractical, it is unworkable, it is offensive, it is discriminatory, and it is definitely draconian, and really, really offensive and discriminatory to rural…

Your programs are being targeted. Right now, you are at $414 million. It is clear to me this is a very, very serious issue.

There is an old saying, which is pay the farmer or pay the doctor, and I promise you paying the farmer is way cheaper.

my concern is, and I want to see if it is your concern, that the expansion of SNAP to be used online could make it easier to restrict and limit the amount of food, the types of food, and purchases that are bought with SNAP dollars.

the cotton industry will not sustain itself unless something substantial changes relatively quickly.

So the one thing that we can do is make sure, if I hear you right, to make sure that the Secretary to Agriculture, Secretary Vilsack, designates cottonseed as other oilseed?

Let's stay on the China situation that my good cousin over there, Austin Scott, brought to the fruition.

But as an African-American, I am not sure that he has been properly advised as to how devastating this Department of Labor ruling will be on the African-American families in terms of wealth building.

your support of the 1890s, our African American students, to get more African Americans into farming and into agriculture is very critical.

it is not only an agriculture issue; it is a national security issue because we need to make sure we protect our food supply in our own hands.

We have two trains running here. One train is financial, the Farm Credit System. And the other train is our banks.

That was an absolute lie from the administration. We had been in meetings the day before, and they withheld that from us.

We take this job very seriously, just as I know you two do as well.

Secretary Carter, you made it very clear we are at war, Secretary Hagel said we are at war well over a year ago with them.

We ask, dear God, that you give us all that power and strength.