On the recordJune 19, 2013
Well, I thank you, my friend from Arkansas. It's too bad that the E in EPA now means ``espionage'' because the EPA rents airplanes and videotapes from the air farmers and ranchers and feedlots in their daily activities without any reason to think that they're violating any rule or regulation. So not only are they spying, but what is most concerning to those that have been videotaped by the EPA is that the EPA released the documents. We don't know how the environmental and animal rights groups found out that they were doing this because the farmers didn't know it was going on. But through a FOIA request, the EPA turned over all of the documents about the farmers, ranchers and food lot owners, with their personal identifiable information, their names and their addresses. And this has to stop. The people that have been victims of this videotaping and giving this information are really concerned; and so I thank the gentleman for his good amendment here, and allowing me to join, because this protects their privacy rights in the future. It doesn't stop them from spying yet. That will be done in a different bill. But this at least protects their privacy, and I really appreciate it.





