Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to deliver the 22nd installment of my farm bill impact series to discuss Congress' willingness to invest in agricultural research, which supports our Nation's food security and, ultimately, our national security. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for every public dollar spent, agricultural research returns $20 benefit to the economy. Despite this, Federal funding for agricultural research has declined in real dollars over the past two decades. When you take a bird's-eye view of our investment in agricultural research, you see that the impact of the investment is much larger than it initially seems. This isn't just about new laboratories and equipment. This is about a vision for the world where America is the undisputed leader in food science technology. It is just like when we invest in international food aid, and the return is staggering. We feed hungry people with American commodities, but we also stop wars before they start and create new international trading partners. Agricultural research investment is the same story. The impact is wide-reaching, and the return on investment is enormous. Just a few months ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture officially opened its new state-of-the-art National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in my home State of Kansas, where scientists will conduct research into serious animal disease threats. It will be an important backstop in protecting our Nation's food supply.…”