Political Quotes

“I wish to thank the Senator from Kansas, who is the distinguished chairman of the agriculture committee, on which I serve, as well as the leader and the whip in the Senate. I rise in support as well of restoring what would be some very devastating cuts to an important program, the crop insurance program. The cuts were supposed to be imposed by the budget agreement that was reached and that we are going to be voting on later today. Crop insurance plays a critical role in supporting South Dakota agriculture. It is my State's No. 1 industry. Crop losses due to drought, wind, hail, and excessive moisture provide the greatest challenges to economic survival and sustainability in production agriculture. Crop insurance provides the only viable risk management tool to meet those challenges. So it is imperative that we preserve crop insurance and maintain its viability. I support the agreement that has been discussed on the floor today. I will work with the leader, the chairman, my Senate colleagues, and my colleague from South Dakota, Senator Rounds, who has been involved in these discussions, to make sure we find a reasonable alternative to the unworkable cuts to crop insurance that are found in section 201 of the Bipartisan Budget Act. I thank the majority leader, the whip, and the chairman of our agriculture committee for their commitment to our farming families and rural economies across this great country.…”