Pat Roberts

Our Committee is the voice of the producer, and we both declared that we were champions on behalf of agriculture.

Feeding an increasing global population is not simply an agriculture challenge. It is a national security challenge.

Our national debt exceeds $19 trillion. That is a 'T'--trillion.

Seven years after the IRS commenced its campaign against conservative groups and close to 4 years after Lois Lerner publicly apologized for what was going on, I do not believe we have meaningfully addressed the issues that political…

I think this is really unacceptable.

This has always been about the First Amendment and protecting those rights and preventing the government from restricting them.

I would urge this Committee to approve his nomination and bring his confirmation to a vote on the floor of the Senate as soon as possible.

I'm not going to ask you about President Trump or whether or not you will follow his Executive orders.

Agriculture must be a key part of these conversations.

Be the champion of agriculture from the start so we do not get into these problems.

If confirmed, I will ask USTR's office of Trade Policy and Economics to work with the ITC to ensure that the models it is using to assess new trade deals and in other contexts are as strong as possible.

Food and agriculture exports are critical to farm income.

We have grain on the ground out in Kansas. If we do not sell agriculture commodities over the next several months--we are at a 16-year low in prices--we will have a problem on our hands.

Our farmers and ranchers depend on strong trade relationships around the world.

We do not need to go down that road again.

What we need is a U.S. Trade Representative confirmed--that is you--and in place who will embark on a robust trade policy.

A strong trade policy is clearly about more than free trade agreements.

I believe it should be #1.

I certainly do not want to ever again see the days where regulators would pull up black vehicles in front of the community bank.

Welcome to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry's first hearing on the 2018 farm bill.

We brought this to the attention of Senator Roberts, who successfully went to work on our behalf to increase the population limits.

I look forward to going to Michigan. I think I look forward to going to Michigan. It is green and white, folks. It ain't purple.

What policy changes should Congress consider as it reviews USDA conservation programs--I do not want Federal water management.

I consider that one of my top achievements. I do not know if I will ever do any better.

Water is the lifeline for agriculture.