Political Quotes

“I appreciate your and the committee's hard work on crafting the agriculture appropriations bill on the floor today. It is a bill that supports American farmers, protects the safety of our food, keeps rural America vibrant, and ensures that our taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently and effectively. I also want to thank you and the committee's continued support for an issue that is very important to my constituents of the Second District of Ohio, the Asian long-horned beetle. This pest, also known as ALB, is one of the most destructive, invasive species that has entered the United States. These beetles have been discovered in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois, and they were first seen in my district in 2012. Mr. Chairman, ALB is devastating our trees. These insects burrow themselves into the heartwood of our trees, where they lay larvae and feast off the wood. As a result, trees in my community are dying or becoming so structurally weak that they are unsafe to even be near them. This doesn't just affect one type of tree, unfortunately, but over a dozen different species. Eradicating this infestation is extremely important to me and my constituents. Unfortunately, the infestation has already come at a very high cost. To date, roughly 43,000 trees have been removed in Clermont County of Ohio, due to the Asian long-horned beetle, including over 30,000 trees that have not even yet been infested.…”