Jerry Nadler: “I rise to plead for our Nation's family farmers and family fishing operations. And some people may ask why the…”

“I rise to plead for our Nation's family farmers and family fishing operations. And some people may ask why the representative from Manhattan and Brooklyn is rising to plead for family farmers. When I was a child, we had a family farm which we lost to foreclosure because of policies similar to what the majority party is urging on us today. This is the 11th time we have been here to debate a temporary extension of chapter 12. To string farmers along, especially in these very hard times, is simply unconscionable; but this is even worse. Instead of passing this bill last year, the chapter 12 extension bill, when we could have sent it directly to the President, the majority refused to act and allow chapter 12 to sunset. Even now they refuse to act and instead are using family farmers again to try to pass an overall bankruptcy bill that is not going to pass again because the Senate will not go along with it; so they are just using it as a charade and putting at risk all the farmers. But a bill that should not pass anyway.…”