Ron Kind: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. I thank her for her leadership…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. I thank her for her leadership on this issue. This amendment is long overdue. The sugar program that currently exists has distorted the marketplace for too long. According to one estimate, it has driven up consumer prices by over $4 billion a year. And it is making it more difficult for us to negotiate greater market access in trade negotiations overseas. Mr. Chairman, I am also disappointed that many of my fiscally responsible reform amendments were rejected late last night in the Rules Committee, such as: Why do multimillionaires and billionaires still qualify for agriculture subsidies under the current bill? Why do those earning over $500,000 in adjusted gross income get subsidies under this bill? Why are multiple people on the same farm receiving the same subsidies under this bill, from husbands to wives, to sons, to daughters, the nephews, the nieces, the cousins? Why can't we at least track where the crop insurance premium subsidies are going, which is currently prohibited under this bill? This legislation should be working for family farmers, not powerful special interests here in Washington. I fear it is a missed opportunity. This amendment at least introduces some modicum of reform, which is long overdue, in a program that has distorted the marketplace for too long. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to accept this amendment today.”