I thank my brother firefighter for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the importance of the Hyde amendment. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson penned three unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of…

Unfortunately, the good years seem to be few and far between, and our producers face risks and challenges that are unfathomable to most Americans.

When I was selected to be Republican leader on the Agriculture Committee, I made it clear that my number one priority was to rebuild a robust rural economy, that starts at the farm gate.

If Chairman Scott is willing to work within those three principles, I really very much look forward to working with him to craft the best policy possible.

And that is why a strong safety net is a critical piece of rebuilding a robust rural economy.

I plan to introduce the SWEETER Act on Wednesday June 16th and would appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee to ensure robust support for this policy.

I hope that this Committee will then soon turn its attention to the needs of production agriculture.

Agriculture, as I often say, is without question our single most important industry.

You see how important agriculture is, and the role that African Americans have played.

Thank you for your leadership on this hearing. Incredibly important topic.

I think that is a testament to his leadership, and much appreciate that.

It is imperative that we address the 2018 Farm Bill oversight, each of those titles, as well as the challenges and successes associated with both the Congressional and the Departmental response to COVID-19.