Political Quotes

“I thank Senator Stabenow, who has done such a great job of chairing the Agriculture Committee. She and Ranking Member Roberts really have done amazing work to bring this bill to the floor. It is bipartisan, and it is legislation that makes some significant reforms in the farm programs we have had. In New Hampshire, many of the programs that are authorized in the farm bill are critical for our farmers and our rural communities, as well as for the protection of our natural resources. I hope we do have some agreement so that we will be able to actually have a full debate on this bill in the remainder of this week and in the upcoming week. As I said, this legislation makes much needed reforms to our farm programs, and it helps to reduce the deficit. For all of that terrific reform and the work that has been done, Senator Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts deserve real appreciation and thanks from this body. However, there is one glaring exception to the reforms that have been made in the bill; that is, the bill contains no reform to the Sugar Program. The sugar subsidies we provide to farmers in America are really unique because what the Federal Government does is to artificially restrict supply and provide a subsidy that keeps prices for sugar in the United States at nearly twice the world average. These are high prices that hurt consumers. They hurt businesses. In fact, a recent study found that the program costs Americans $3.5 billion a year.…”