Amy Klobuchar: “I came here today first of all to talk about the farm bill. I am a member of the Agriculture Committee. We are very…”

“I came here today first of all to talk about the farm bill. I am a member of the Agriculture Committee. We are very proud of this bill. It is a strong bill. As Senator Chambliss just pointed out, it enjoys broad bipartisan support. Of particular importance to the State of Minnesota is the safety net that is in the bill; the focus on ag research, which the Presiding Officer from the State of Wisconsin, with her great universities, knows is very important; and the work we have done with dairy in trying to improve the dairy program. The dairy farmers have been the hardest hit in our State of any of the agricultural groups. I have done some new things for new and beginning farmers. Then, of course, there is the Sugar Program--something that has been a topic today, as some of our colleagues are trying to strip the Sugar Program out of the bill. I would argue that this is 30,000 jobs in the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North Dakota. American sugar is actually much less expensive than you see in the price on the global marketplace. The Sugar Program works. It works for workers, it works for America, and we need to continue it. The Budget I would like to turn to the focus of my remarks today, which is, first of all, on the budget. I thank Senator Murray for her leadership on the Budget Committee and for all her hard work in advancing a smart, balanced budget to meet our country's fiscal challenges.…”