Larry Combest: “Mr. Speaker, before I get into the discussion of the heart of this bill, I want to take a moment to thank my friend and…”

“Mr. Speaker, before I get into the discussion of the heart of this bill, I want to take a moment to thank my friend and my colleague, the ranking member on the Committee on Agriculture, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm). Two-and-a-half years ago, we literally linked arm in arm to try to move down a path of finding an answer to what had been plaguing the agricultural economy in America for a number of years, and we have seen it continue to exist and grow. This was done in a strongly bipartisan manner. We included all of our committee. We went across this country and had hearings and listened to people tell us what their concerns were. We have heard and we will hear throughout this day opposition by people who, certainly their opposition in their mind is as justified as it is part of our process. But I would say that looking at this in total and in whole, and looking at this from the standpoint of where we are if this conference report does not pass, I would say that to anyone who has a true care about agriculture and rural development and rural America and nutrition and conservation and research and trade, that there is no other option. It is either basically this or it is nothing.”