Glenn Thompson

I thank the ranking member for his generosity and his leadership on the important issue of agriculture, and certainly on this bill as well. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne).

Can I inquire as to how much time remains? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) has 3 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) has 13 minutes remaining.

I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Benishek), a member of the Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee.

I thank the chairman. However, rather than acting punitively, EPA must work collaboratively with the States. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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: limitation on use of funds to treat northern…

Can you explain the basis for this new rule? And why was it finalized without allowing for a public comment period?

I think a little bit of flavor goes a long ways.

I recently introduced H.R. 2407, the School Milk Nutrition Act, in conjunction with my colleague Joe Courtney.

Consolidation of programs was necessary for funding and administering the programs, but we need to make sure it actually works on the ground.

These reforms are estimated to not only save the American taxpayer over $6 billion but were also intended to improve conservation delivery.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 reversed this trend by looking at conservation programs in a more comprehensive way.

I would hope that NEPA would include the social cost of government bureaucracy and the impact on individual lives.

Our National Forests are not museums and were never intended to sit idle.

I believe as a result of the most recent federal school nutrition standards, we have seen a sharp decline in the participation of school meal programs.

Today is National Agriculture Day, and so having this hearing on a topic so vital to the agricultural economy is serendipitous.

I don't think Parma can make enough parmesan to feed the world. So we absolutely need to stand firm in those GIs.

We must remain committed to advancing the goal of trade liberalization and increased opportunities for real trade growth.

The Clean Water Act was a very good piece of legislation that was written.

Farmers are excellent stewards of the land, and we all want to make the water as clean as possible.

For them to put this rule out, circumvent Congress, is really outrageous.

We need to stop this, and I don't know if we are going to be able to do that.

Thank you for holding your hearing March 17, 2015, to review the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rulemaking.

I would stake my professional reputation on the fact that this rule--unless it is dramatically altered from what was proposed--will result in potential Clean Water Act liability and Federal permit requirements for a vast number of…

Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Lujan Grisham, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to offer our views regarding the EPA and the Corps of Engineers' proposed rule to define Waters of the United States under the…

Over the past year, EPA and the Corps have repeatedly said that farmers and ranchers have nothing to fear from the proposed rule because those traditional agricultural exemptions remain intact. These statements are misleading.