Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2642, Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to insert in the Record the letter from Taxpayers for Common Sense against this bill. I'd like to also insert in the Record a letter from over 500 farm groups and conservation groups that oppose this bill.

I also want to point out to my colleagues, the CBO estimates that this bill, as written, will add $1.3 billion to the deficit in 2014.

House Leadership Proposes Outspending Senate in Farm Bill

Fresh on the heels of losing a Farm Bill vote on the Floor because the rushed bill did not cut spending enough, House leadership is floating another plan to keep the checks flowing to agriculture special interests: strip out nutrition programs and pass an Ag-only Farm Bill that spends more than one passed by a Democrat-controlled Senate. In fact it would spend drastically more than either the comparable portions of the President's FY14 budget request or Rep Paul Ryan's FY14 budget (which called for $38 billion and $31 billion in savings, respectively).

That's right, the Republican House majority leadership is pushing a bill that would save less than they promised, President Obama proposed, or the Senate adopted.

The Ag-only Farm Bill shows just how resistant House lawmakers are to reining in our nation's deficits.

House Ag-only Farm Bill Savings: $12.8 billion.

Senate Ag-only Farm Bill Savings: $13.9 billion.

Splitting nutrition and agriculture programs into separate bills is a good idea, but only because it would break the Ag-Urban unholy alliance that logrolled over attempts to reform both programs. To deny amendments and reforms would make bifurcation virtually meaningless. Each bill must be open to robust debate to ensure taxpayers are footing the bill for only the most cost-effective, accountable, transparent, and responsive safety net for farmers and the hungry poor.

An Ag-only Farm Bill the likes of H.R. 1947 is the opposite of reform. It would:

Cannibalize savings to create new generous shallow loss entitlement programs.

Resurrect goverment-set target prices that are higher than in the Senate bill.

Exclude all common sense steps toward right-sizing the federally subsidized crop insurance program--which was estimated to cost taxpayers a record $14 billion in FY12. No means testing to exclude millionaire businessmen, no limit on subsidies, zero cuts to insurance company delivery subsidies, and no transparency on who is benefiting from taxpayer spending.

Increase spending on subsidized crop insurance by $9 billion.

But that's not all, the House bill would:

Increase FY14 spending by $1.34 billion above the current baseline.

Only save $3.9 billion over the life of the actual bill (FY14-18) with the rest ($9 billion) occurring after this farm bill expires in FY18.

If Congress simply eliminated direct payments and the failed Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program (which nearly everyone agrees needs to happen), taxpayers would save nearly $50 billion. Adding in a few common sense reforms to the highly subsidized crop insurance program (instead of shoveling $9 billion in new special interest subsidies) would easily save taxpayers $100 billion or more.

Splitting the bill should be used to get better reforms out of both nutrition programs and the rest of the farm bill instead of just using it as a tactic to get to a conference committee to protect agriculture and nutrition's sacred cows. Simply divorcing the two with no opportunity for additional reforms isn't acceptable when our nation faces a $16.8 trillion debt. Instead of eventually sticking taxpayers with a trillion dollar farm bill that barely puts a dent in the deficit, lawmakers need to go back to the drawing board and come up with a fiscally responsible solution that enacts a more cost-effective, accountable, transparent, and responsive farm safety net.

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July 2, 2013.
Hon. John Boehner,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.

Dear Speaker Boehner: America's agriculture, conservation, rural development, finance, forestry, energy and crop insurance companies and organizations strongly urge you to bring the Farm Bill (H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013) back to the Floor as soon as possible. This important legislation supports our nation's farmers, ranchers, forest owners, food security, natural resources and wildlife habitats, rural communities, and the 16 million Americans whose jobs directly depend on the agriculture industry.

Farm bills represent a delicate balance between America's farm, nutrition, conservation, and other priorities, and accordingly require strong bipartisan support. It is vital for the House to try once again to bring together a broad coalition of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to provide certainty for farmers, rural America, the environment and our economy in general and pass a five-year farm bill upon returning in July. We believe that splitting the nutrition title from the rest of the bill could result in neither farm nor nutrition programs passing, and urge you to move a unified farm bill forward.

Thank you for your support. We look forward to our continued dialogue as the process moves forward and stand ready to work with you to complete passage of the new five-year Farm Bill before the current law expires again on September 30, 2013.

Sincerely,

1st Farm Credit Services, 25x'25, Advanced Biofuels Association, Ag Credit, ACA, AgChoice, AgGeorgia, AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, AgriBank, Agriculture Council of Arkansas, Agriculture Energy Coalition.

Agricultural Retailers Association, AgriLand, Agri-Mark, Inc., AgCarolina, AgCountry, AgFirst, AgPreference, AgSouth, AgStar Financial Services, ACA, AgTexas, Alabama Ag Credit, Alabama Cotton Commission, Alabama Dairy Producers, Alabama Farm Credit, Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Alabama Farmers Federation.

Alabama Pork Producers, Alaska Farmers Union, American AgCredit, American Agriculture Movement, American Association of Avian Pathologists, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Association of Crop Insurers, American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners, American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, American Bankers Association, American Beekeeping Federation, American Biogas Council, American Coalition for Ethanol, American Cotton Shippers Association, American Crystal Sugar Company, American Dairy Science Association.

American Farm Bureau Federation, American Farmers and Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company, American Farmland Trust, American Feed Industry Association, American Fruit and Vegetable Processors and Growers Coalition, American Forest Foundation, American Forest Resource Council, American Forests, American Honey Producers Association, American Malting Barley Association, American Pulse Association, American Public Works Association, American Sheep Industry Association, American Society of Agronomy, American Sugar Alliance, American Sugar Cane League.

American Sugarbeet Growers Association, American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, American Soybean Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, Animal Agriculture Coalition, Animal Health Institute, WAArborOne, Archery Trade Association, Arizona Farm Bureau Federation, Arizona Bioindustry Association, Arizona Wool Producers Association, Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas Farmers Union, Arkansas Rice Federation, Arkansas Rice Producers' Group, Arkansas State Sheep Council.

Associated Logging Contractors--Idaho, Associated Milk Producers, Inc., Associated Oregon Loggers, Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Association of Veterinary Biologics Companies, Badgerland Financial, Bio Nebraska Life Sciences Association, BioForward, Biotechnology Industry Organization, Black Hills Forest Resource Association, Bongard's Creamery, Boone and Crockett Club, Bowhunting Preservation Alliance, Calcot.

California Agricultural Irrigation Association, California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, California Association of Winegrape Growers, California Avocado Commission, California Canning Peach Association, California Farm Bureau Federation, California Farmers Union, California Forestry Association, California Pork Producers Association, California Wool Growers Association, Calvin Viator, Ph.D. and Associates, LLC, The Campbell Group, Can Manufacturers Institute, Canned Food Alliance, Cape Fear Farm Credit, Capital Farm Credit.

Carolina Cotton Growers Cooperative, Catch-A-Dream Foundation, Catfish Farmers of America, Central Kentucky, ACA, Ceres Solutions LLP, Chrisholm Trail Farm Credit, CHS, Inc., CoBank, Colonial Farm Credit, Colorado BioScience Association, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Timber Industry Association, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Connecticut Forest & Park Association, Connecticut United for Research Excellence, Inc., The Conservation Fund.

Continental Dairy Products, Inc, Cooperative Credit Company, Cooperative Network, Cora-Texas Mfg. Co., Inc., Corn Producers Association of Texas, Cotton Growers Warehouse Association, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau, Crop Insurance Professionals Association, Crop Science Society of America, CropLife America, Dairy Farmers of America, Dairy Farmers Working Together, Dairy Producers of Utah, Dairylea Cooperative Inc., Darigold, Inc.

Delta Council, Delta Waterfowl, Deltic Timber Corporation, Ducks Unlimited, DUDA (A. Duda & Sons, Inc.), Eastern Regional Conference of Council of State Governments, Empire State Forest Products Association, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Family Farm Alliance, Family Forest Foundation--Washington, Farm Credit Bank of Texas, Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation, Farm Credit Council, Farm Credit Council Services, Farm Credit East.

Farm Credit MidSouth, Farm Credit of Central Florida, Farm Credit of Central Oklahoma, Farm Credit of Enid, Farm Credit of Florida, Farm Credit of Maine, Farm Credit of Ness City, Farm Credit of New Mexico, Farm Credit of North West Florida, Farm Credit of Southern Colorado, Farm Credit of SW Kansas, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas, Farm Credit of Western Kansas, Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma, Farm Credit Services of America, Farm Credit Services of Illinois.

Farm Credit South, Farm Credit Virginias, Farm Credit West, Farmer Mac, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative, FCS Financial, FCS of America, FCS of Colusa-Glenn, FCS of East/Central Oklahoma, FCS of Hawaii, FCS of Illinois, FCS of Mandan, FCS of Mid-America, FCS of North Dakota, FCS of Southwest, Federation of Animal Science Societies.

First District Association, First FCS, First South Farm Credit, FLBA of Kingsburg, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Florida Sugar Cane League, Forest Investment Associates, Forest Landowners Association, Forest Products National Labor Management Committee, Forest Resource Association Inc., Fresno-Madera Farm Credit, Frontier Farm Credit, Fruit Growers Supply Company, Georgia Agribusiness Council, Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Georgia Forestry Association.

Georgia Pork Producers Association, Giustina Resources, LLC, Global Forest Partners LP, GMO Renewable Resources, Great Plains Ag Credit, Great Plains Canola Association, Green Diamond Resource Company, Greenstone, GROWMARK, Inc, Growth Energy, Hancock Timber Resource Group, Hardwood Federation, Hawaii Farmers Union, Hawaii Sugar Farmers, Heritage Land Bank, Holstein Association USA.

Idaho Ag Credit, Idaho Dairymen's Association, Idaho Farmers Union, Idaho Forest Group, Idaho Forest Owners Association, Idaho Grain Producers Association, Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization--iBIO , Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Farmers Union, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Independent Beef Association of North Dakota, Independent Community Bankers of America, Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc., Indiana Farmers Union, Indiana Health Industry Forum, Innovative Mississippi--Strategic Biomass Solutions.

Intermountain Forest Association, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Sheep Industry Association, IowaBio, Irrigation Association, Irving Woodlands, LLC, Izaak Walton League of America, John Deere Crop Insurance, Kansas Cooperative Council, Kansas Dairy, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Farmers Union, Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

Kansas Pork Association, Kansas Sheep Association, Kentucky Forest Industries Association, Kentucky Pork Producers Association, Land Improvement Contractors of America, Land O'Lakes, Land Stewardship Project, Land Trust Alliance, Lone Rock Timber Management Co., Longview Timber LLC, Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, Inc., Louisiana Forest Association, Louisiana Rice Growers Association, Louisiana Rice Producers' Group, Louisiana Sugar Cane Cooperative, Inc., Lula-Westfield, LLC.

Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Maryland Farm Bureau, Inc., Maryland Grain Producers Association, Maryland Sheep Breeders' Association, Inc., Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, Inc., Massachusetts Forest Alliance, MassBio, MBG Marketing/The Blueberry People, Michigan Agri-Business Association, Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan Farmers Union, Michigan Pork Producers Association, Michigan Sugar Company, Michigan-California Timber Company, Mid-West Dairymen's Co.

MidAtlantic Farm Credit, Midwest Dairy Coalition, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Midwest Food Processors Association, Milk Producers Council, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, Minnesota Canola Council, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, Minnesota Farmers Union, Minnesota Forest Industries, Minnesota Grain & Feed Association, Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers, Minnesota Pork Producers Association, Minnesota Timber Producers Association, Mississippi River Trust.

Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Missouri Dairy Association, Missouri Farm Bureau Federation, Missouri Farmers Union, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Sheep Producers, Missouri Soybean Association, The Molpus Woodlands Group, Montana Grain Growers Association, Montana Farmers Union, Mule Deer Foundation, National Association of Counties, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, National All-Jersey, National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Association for the Advancement of Animal Science.

National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Association of Conservation Districts, National Association of Farmer Elected Committees, National Association of Federal Veterinarians, National Association of Forest Service Retirees, National Association of FSA County Office Employees, National Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils, National Association of State Conservation Agencies, National Association of State Foresters, National Association of University Forest Resource Programs, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research, National Conservation District Employees Association.

National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Cotton Ginners' Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Farmers Union, National Farm to School Network, National Grange, National Grape Cooperative Association, Inc., National Milk Producers Federation, National Network of Forest Practitioners, National Pork Producers Council, National Renderers Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, National Sorghum Producers, National Sunflower Association, National Trappers Association.

National Wild Turkey Federation, National Woodland Owners Association, Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska Pork Producers Association, Nevada Farm Bureau Federation, Nevada Wool Growers Association, New England Farmers Union, New Jersey Farm Bureau, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, New Mexico Sorghum Association, New York Farm Bureau, Inc., New York Forest Owners Association, Nexsteppe, North American Grouse Partnership.

North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, Inc, North Carolina Forestry Association, North Carolina Pork Council, North Dakota Farmers Union, North Dakota Lamb & Wool Producers, North Dakota Pork Producers Council, Northarvest Bean Growers Association, Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives, Northeast States Association for Agricultural Stewardship, Northern California Farm Credit, Northern Canola Growers Association, Northern Forest Center, Northern Pulse Growers Association, Northwest Dairy Association, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Novozymes North America Inc.

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Inc., Ohio Farmers Union, Ohio Pork Producers Council, Oklahoma Agribusiness Retailers Association, Oklahoma Agricultural Cooperative Council, Oklahoma Farmers Union, Oklahoma Grain & Feed Association, Oklahoma Pork Council, Oklahoma Seed Trade Association, Oklahoma Sorghum Association, Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association, Oregon Association of Nurseries, Oregon Cherry Growers, Inc., Oregon Dairy Farmers Association, Oregon Farmers Union.

Oregon Sheep Growers Association, Oregon Small Woodland Association, Oregon Women in Timber, Orion the Hunter's Institute, Panhandle-Plains Land Bank, Partners for Sustainable Pollination, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Farmers Union, Pennsylvania Forest Products Association, Pheasants Forever, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, Plains Cotton Growers, Inc., Plum Creek Timber Company, Pollinator Partnership, Pope and Young Club, Port Blakely Tree Farms, LP.

Potlatch Corporation, Prairie Rivers Network, Premier Farm Credit, Puerto Rico Farm Credit, Quality Deer Management Association, Quail Forever, Rayonier Inc., Red Gold, Inc, Red River Forests, LLC, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association, Renewable Fuels Association, Resource Management Service, LLC, Rhode Island Sheep Cooperative, Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Rolling Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.

Ruffed Grouse Society, The Rural Broadband Association, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Select Milk Producers, Inc. Seneca Foods, Shasta Forests Timberlands, LLC, Sidney Sugars, Inc., Sierra Pacific Industries, Society of American Foresters, Soil and Water Conservation Society, Soil Science Society of America, South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, South Dakota Association of Cooperatives, South Dakota Biotech Association, South Dakota Farmers Union, South Dakota Pork Producers.

South Dakota Wheat Growers, South East Dairy Farmers Association, Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, South Texas Cotton and Grain Association, Southeast Milk Inc., Southern Cotton Growers, Inc., Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association of Texas, Southern States Cooperative, Inc., Southwest Council of Agribusiness, Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, St. Albans Cooperative, Staplcotn, State Agriculture and Rural Leaders, Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida.

Sustainable Forest Initiative, Sustainable Northwest, Tennessee Clean Water Network, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, Tennessee Forestry Association, Tennessee Renewable Energy & Economic Development Council, Texas Ag Finance, Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council, Texas Farmers Union, Texas Forestry Association, Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute, Texas Land Bank, Texas Pork Producers Association, Texas Rice Producers Legislative Group, Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers' Association, Timberland Investment Resources.

Timber Products Company, The Amalgamated Sugar Company, The Bank of Commerce, The Nature Conservancy, The Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trust for Public Land, United Dairymen of Arizona, United FCS, U.S. Animal Health Association, U.S. Beet Sugar Association, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Cattlemen's Association, U.S. Dry Bean Council, U.S. Pea & Lentil Trade Association, U.S. Rice Producers Association.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, USA Rice Federation, Utah Farmers Union, Utah Wool Growers Association, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Virginia Forestry Association, Virginia Grain Producers Association, Virginia Pork Industry Board, Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association, Virginia State Dairymen's Association, Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association, Washington Farm Bureau, Washington Farmers Union.

Washington State Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Washington State Dairy Federation, Welch Foods Inc., A Cooperative, Wells Timberland REIT, Western AgCredit, Western Growers, Western Pea & Lentil Growers, Western Peanut Growers Association, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Western Sugar Cooperative, Western United Dairymen, The Westervelt Company, Weyerhaeuser Company, Whitetails Unlimited, Inc.

Wild Sheep Foundation, Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Management Institute, Wildlife Mississippi, Wisconsin Agri-Business Association, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Wisconsin Paper Council, Wisconsin Pork Association, Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, Women Involved in Farm Economics, World Wildlife Fund, Wyoming Sugar Company, Yankee Farm Credit, Yosemite Farm Credit.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I'm the final speaker on our side, so I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this is about our values. This is about what we stand for.

The constant attacks by some of my Republican friends, by many on the other side of the aisle, on SNAP, on poor people, on the vulnerable is just plain wrong. And, quite frankly, it's offensive.

Three weeks ago, this farm bill failed in this House because the Republicans cannot govern. You know, you are in control. Sixty-two of your Members, including five committee chairs, voted ``no.''

To suggest that somehow Democrats should have carried this bill is ludicrous because I want to make one thing clear: we are not going to vote for a bill that sticks it to poor people, and that's exactly what this bill does.

The bill that you had on the floor that threw 2 million people off SNAP was unacceptable, and we could not vote for that.

There are 50 million people in this country who are hungry; 17 million of them are children. Millions of people who are on SNAP work for a living. They go to work every day; but they earn so little, they still qualify for this benefit.

These are our neighbors. These are our brothers; these are our sisters. Please do not turn your backs on them. Please do not turn your backs on these people. We are a better country than that.

Please don't be so callous, because that's what this is about, when you throw 2 million people off this benefit, or even more. Because we have no idea what was promised to get votes on this current bill right now. We have no idea how much you're going to cut the SNAP program or whether you're going to sunset it, because none of us know what was decided in the Republican Conference.

But when you cut people who are poor, when you deny them the benefit of food, which should be a right in this country, that is callous. That is cruel. We should not be doing that.

We should be about helping people, not hurting people. So have a heart.

Where's your conscience?

What makes this country great, what makes America great is that we've had a tradition for caring for the least among us. That's why we're so angry over here, because all of a sudden it seems like we're turning our backs on the poor.

There used to be a bipartisan consensus when it came to making sure that the hungry in this country get enough to eat. There's a long history of bipartisanship on this.

All of a sudden this has become a partisan issue, and the target, so that you can try to balance the budget, has been placed right on the programs like SNAP, nutrition programs, programs that feed our senior citizens, provide our children meals in schools.

You've even gone after WIC. Enough. Enough. We can do better. We can have a bipartisan farm bill if you will move over to our side and understand that we have an obligation to take care of the most vulnerable.

So vote ``no'' on this rule. Vote ``no'' on the underlying bill. We can do so much better.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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