Jeff Fortenberry

I missed rollcall No. 600. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

This amendment would reduce the Department of Energy administration account by $35 million and increase the Global Threat Reduction Initiative by a $35 million amount as well. As cofounder of the House Nuclear Security Caucus, together…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: Page 32, line 4, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $35,000,000)''. Page 34, line 20, after the dollar amount…

In 2008, this body declared that the United States would not provide military assistance to countries found guilty of using child soldiers. With broad bipartisan support, we declared that this is an affront to human dignity and an affront…

I rise to engage in a colloquy with my colleagues to ensure that our defense community has the resources necessary to carry out an important security mandate that this body passed this year. Mr. Chairman, the Lord's Resistance Army has…

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for his leadership again. My colleagues and I believe that resources invested in ending this conflict now will not only save innocent lives but will also help reduce the need for very expensive…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: Sec. II. None of the funds made available by this Act…

It is difficult to imagine an industry that is more reliant on credit and access to capital than farming and ranching.

We need to ensure that our farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to succeed.

It's difficult to imagine an industry more reliant on credit and access to capital than farming and ranching.

Farm Service Agency loan programs ensure that new farmers have access to the credit they need to get started.

These audits help Members of the Agriculture Committee gather data on farm programs so that we can evaluate each of them for effectiveness and efficiency.

Before I begin the discussion on the amendment, I'd like to correct the Record in regard to something I said earlier. The CFTC budget is actually decreased by a slightly higher amount than the overall Ag budget, rather than a slightly…

The gentleman has accused our side of the aisle of lying. Is that a cause for having his words taken down? The Acting CHAIR. The Chair construes that as a demand that words be taken down. All Members will suspend. The gentleman will take…

Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, let me add as well it's a little difficult for me to sit here quietly and listen to the pontificating about Wall Street bailouts. I didn't support the Wall Street bailout either. There are now five banks…

I thank the gentleman from Georgia for the time. Madam Chair, farmers are good Americans. They understand our tight budgetary times and the need to tighten the belt, and they are willing to do their part. But before we vote on this bill…

I think it's important to address this issue of who's on the side of the American people. We have a $1.6 trillion deficit this year. Over 40 cents on every dollar that the government is spending is borrowed. We have $14 trillion of debt…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: Page 3, line 19, insert after the dollar amount the following: ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''. Page 39, line 10, insert after…

I thank the gentleman from California, our ranking member on Foreign Affairs, for the time. Madam Speaker, this is a very tough call, a tough set of circumstances. There is much complexity here with the convergence of war and diplomacy and…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise to ensure that appropriate funds are provided for the 287(g) program in this bill. The Federal Government must have well-equipped partners to address interior enforcement concerns…

I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, Americans deserve to know how the government spends their money, and they are right to refuse the use of their tax dollars for highly controversial activities--in this case…

Any American that may be watching tonight is probably bewildered by all of the discussion of budgets and continuing resolutions and perhaps debt ceilings, as well as the appropriations process. In order to understand where we are…

The intense human tragedy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to weigh heavily upon all of us.

While numerous signs of democratic progress have been seen in recent years, civil strife has reached an unfathomable high in some areas.

Thank you, Chairman Smith, for convening this very important hearing, and I think it is important to note that it is especially poignant that today is International Women's Day.