Stacey Plaskett

It is our job here in Washington, both here and at the USDA, to ensure we are safeguarding the integrity of the National Organic Program.

As the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over organics, we have a responsibility to oversee this rapidly evolving segment without stifling the innovation that makes it so unique.

It is very unfortunate that despite repeated requests, months of notice and flexibility provided to accommodate a potential witness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has chosen not to have any representation at this hearing…

This is very important to me. The Virgin Islands is American territory still reeling from the devastation caused by the 2017 hurricane season, and still at early stages of working through the process provided by law to not only recover…

I actually went and worked in the Bush Administration, the Justice Department.

So let's--in the letter that you've given, you state in there: The Congress passed the Hatch Act to recognize the inevitability that senior advisers to the President, such as Ms. Conway, were involved in campaign activity.

We need to keep our emotions and our actions in check while we are in this room.

I would really hope that my colleagues would remember the respect for the chair.

I do believe the White House counsel has taken that position.

Virgin Islanders have a habit of just muddling through things, being proud, and not really being the type to complain.

I just wanted to get straight to the questions.

So you obviously have a hospital that is not functioning entirely as it should.

I am going to use this time, rather than asking you questions, just outlining for my colleagues the kind of situation that Virgin Islanders face.

The situation is very grave and very critical.

So there is no modular hospital on one of the major islands, and that modular unit is estimated to be in place at what time?

Help us in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Help us in all of the U.S. territories.

We encourage you to reinvigorate Federal investments into extension activities.

Farmers and ranchers are an integral partner in the fight against climate change.

If we want our agriculture sector to remain competitive, particularly when operating in an increasingly variable climate, we must bolster the resources available to producers.

Recovery continues to be an ongoing process. My farmers and ranchers need tools that not only help them survive but thrive in the face of a changing climate.

These disasters, driven by an increasingly variable climate, pose serious threats to the domestic agricultural industry and the rural communities depending on this sector.

As the Delegate for the Virgin Islands, I represent the University of the Virgin Islands, a land-grant university, and it has skin in the game, as do the territory's small-scale producers who benefit from fully staffed agencies.

This proposal will undermine the integrity of these agencies and their ability to operate, and it was followed by an FY20 Budget Request which proposed cutting the number of ERS employees in half.

Any reforms to USDA's research agencies must have clear benefits to ag research and be conducted in a transparent manner.

Secretary Perdue's claim that the research agencies are better served elsewhere is misconstrued.