Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act Of 2012

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROBERTS. This is a technical amendment. I rise in support of it, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

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Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, this amendment makes permanent the current Office of Tribal Relations with the Department of Agriculture, and that is very important in terms of outreach for Native American farmers and ranchers.

We have no objection, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

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Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I oppose this amendment. I do so reluctantly with my colleague on the committee. But the committee bill contains no mandatory funding in the rural development title. This amendment would take savings achieved in the bill from 23.4--used to be 26.3--now we are down to 23.4. That would take it down to 23.2 and redirect $150 million mandatory spending into a few rural development programs.

Nothing against them, but if we are going to achieve savings in this bill, we have to hold the line. I reluctantly oppose the amendment.

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Mr. ROBERTS. It is not only commodity programs, I say to my chairwoman. This would also affect all of our conservation programs, crop insurance, rural development programs, research, dairy, and livestock. I doubt if Larry Flynt has anything to do with any of those.

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Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I strongly oppose this amendment. This amendment would shield over 82 percent of farm bill spending from deficit reduction and prevent the bill from addressing a serious breach in nutrition program integrity.

Let me be clear. Tightening the LIHEAP loophole does not affect SNAP eligibility for anyone using SNAP.

To add insult to this injury, this amendment then pillages money from crop insurance----

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