Jodey Arrington: “I want to thank Chairman Conaway for his leadership on H.R. 2. This farm bill is critical to this country's food supply…”

“I want to thank Chairman Conaway for his leadership on H.R. 2. This farm bill is critical to this country's food supply and to rural America. I want to thank him for a great first step of getting it out of the committee. We have strengthened the safety net to provide stability to the ag economy here in the United States. We have made an important investment in rural America and rural infrastructure, especially around the technology backbone, and we have also fully funded R&D for agriculture, which allows us to be globally competitive and gives our producers an advantage. Lastly, but certainly not least, I am very proud of the reforms to the Food Stamp program that encourage work. We have got 6 million surplus jobs, and we don't need policies that trap people in a cycle of dependency on government and poverty. It is not the right thing to do to them. It is not right for the taxpayers. It is not good for America. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I am offering today would provide a critical lifeline to rural hospitals by expanding the eligibility requirements in two of USDA's loan programs, the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program and the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Guaranteed Loan Program, to allow these community hospitals to refinance their existing debt under these programs. This will lower their cost of capital and free up precious resources needed to keep these facilities operating.…”