Peter Welch

I would like to encourage the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry to consider setting a floor under the Class I mover as a method to increase income to dairy farmers.

We have to find a way in which we can respond quickly, as well as put things in motion that can help over the long term.

The depth of the crisis in Vermont cannot be understated.

The prices have fallen to record lows, even as production costs, as you know, have risen to record highs.

In Vermont our dairy farmers are the best among us.

I urge the Committee to consider all options with regards to providing support for dairy farmers.

Again, they are selling milk today at $12 a hundredweight compared to $18 when the farm bill was passed.

But the fact of the matter is, we are at a point today, July 14th, where dairy farmers are out there borrowing money to pay operating costs for their farms.

We strongly condemn the efforts of a small group of extremists and even a Member of this legislative body calling for a census boycott.

I feel like you're trying to roll us and you're trying to obfuscate things and obstruct us from doing the job that we need to do.

I associate myself strongly with the words of Mr. Kucinich earlier today.

It is our responsibility to ensure that those public moneys are spent wisely, legally, and in the best interest of the American people.

Clearly, AIG is making sure its lawyers and PR firms are watching its back, but who is watching the backs of the American people?

Again, we are hearing 'trust us,' but we are not willing to let $180 billion go on 'trust us.'

Are you going to liquidate it or are you going to restructure it in such a way as to return it to profitability and repay the taxpayers' investment?

Mr. Chairman, my questions have largely been answered from the questions of my colleague, Mr. Kucinich.

Now, there are three issues that keep coming up about stimulus.

I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of H.R. 22, which if enacted we believe would save as much as $2 billion in retirement payments this year for the Postal Service.

Change has come to the United States, and I look forward to a budget resolution that reflects the high expectations our constituents have for Congress to meet the challenges we face as a nation.

I urge the Budget Committee to provide a robust increase in funding for the International Affairs account in order to allow significant increases in assistance to this impoverished country.

I request an increase of $210 million in Function 550 so that the Minority AIDS Initiative would receive a total of $610 million in FY 2010 across all accounts combined.

The goal of our hearing today, as I understand it, is less to focus on the problem as it is to focus on solutions.

I appreciate the work that you are doing, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with you as your partner on the House side.

What we ultimately want to do is take the steps we can to protect our communities.

It is really terrific to have the Senate Judiciary Committee here in St. Albans on this incredibly important topic.