On the recordJune 19, 2013
As a fourth-generation farmer, I know firsthand how important the farm bill is for farmers. I believe that we need a farm bill, but I also believe we need a responsible farm bill. Unfortunately, the bill passed out of the Rules Committee last night is a farm bill in name only, with 80 percent of the spending going toward food stamps. This isn't the solution American taxpayers deserve. Washington's unholy alliance of farm policy and nutrition policy has spun out of control, and now we will consider a massive trillion-dollar spending package called a farm bill. Mr. Speaker, we must have an up-or-down vote to split the farm bill into a true farm-only farm bill and a separate food stamp bill. The American people deserve an honest conversation about how Washington spends their money. We've made progress ending direct payments, but there's more work ahead. Let's do our work in the full light of day by splitting this bill and having serious debate on both farm and welfare policy. Without that debate, I cannot in good conscience vote for a welfare bill passed on the backs of hardworking American farmers. ____________________
