Roy Blunt: “I am concerned that we are going to go home without an agriculture disaster bill farm families can rely on. This…”

“I am concerned that we are going to go home without an agriculture disaster bill farm families can rely on. This disaster is real. The disaster programs for livestock ran out a year ago, September 30 of last year. We have a chance to do something about that, and I wish to see us do something about that. The idea that we would decide we could put this off another month, that we can put those families in jeopardy for another month not knowing what their solution seems to me is totally unacceptable. I will yield the floor to my friend from North Dakota, but I intend to do everything that I can to see we solve this problem with a real solution, not just another Washington excuse as to why we can't do what needs to be done. The Agriculture industry is a key economic driver for our country, supporting approximately 16 million jobs nationwide. The families that own and run these farms and ranches represent less than 2 percent of America's population, but they raise enough food and fiber to feed the nation. These producers have been greatly impacted by the worst and widest reaching drought to grip the United States in decades, which continues to get worse with no signs of slowing down as we head into one of the warmest months of the year. On Wednesday the USDA added 218 counties from 12 drought-stricken States to its list of natural disaster areas--bringing the overall total to 1,584 counties in 32 States. That's more than half of all U.S. counties.…”