Charles W. Stenholm: “As a Texan, I cannot say that Tom and I have always agreed on every aspect of agriculture, our States being a little…”

“As a Texan, I cannot say that Tom and I have always agreed on every aspect of agriculture, our States being a little different, the rainfall, climate being a little different, but I believe it would not be an overstatement to say that in the 9 years that I have served with him on the Committee on Agriculture that I cannot think of a time in which we have not been able to find a constructive middle ground. For the last 6 years, Tom has chaired the Subcommittee on Risk Management, Research, and Specialty Crops, and that has been a challenge. Consensus building, though, has been the hallmark of Tom's leadership. His legacy is well established through some very difficult pieces of legislation. Soon after he became chairman, he brought together administration and industry officials to develop a compromise that broke a long-lasting stalemate over the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. His work for peanuts, tobacco and sugar farmers have made this Northerner a welcome and well-known guest in rural communities throughout the South.”