Chris Van Hollen: “I want to commend Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Peterson and all the members of the Agriculture Committee for the work…”

“I want to commend Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Peterson and all the members of the Agriculture Committee for the work they have done in crafting this very important bill. Mr. Chairman, I think we all understand that no bill that comes before this House is perfect. But this bill represents a very careful balancing of important national priorities: protecting the family farmer, strengthening the nutrition program. And I want to thank subcommittee chairman Joe Baca for those efforts, land conservation, environmental protection and renewable energy sources, and all done in a fiscally responsible manner. I am especially grateful and thankful for the efforts of Chairman Peterson and subcommittee Chairman Holden for their efforts to protect the Nation's largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay comprises six States and the District of Columbia as part of its watershed. The scientists have told us that the health of the Chesapeake Bay is in grave danger unless we take action now. Almost 50 percent of the excessive nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay comes from the runoff from farm operations. Our farmers want to be part of the solution to this problem. This bill provides farmers on the more than 66,000 farms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed with the tools they need to help protect the Chesapeake Bay. It represents a historic leap in Federal support for our efforts to protect this national natural treasure, the Chesapeake Bay.”