Block Grant Assistance Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, as we work to get the agriculture community back on their feet, I won't stop fighting to make sure the Federal Government keeps showing up.

Following natural disasters in prior years, USDA has administered block grants to many of our States. The Block Grant Assistance Act would explicitly give USDA the authority to provide block grants as an option to States and territories to assist agricultural producers with losses due to natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2022.

Importantly, it provides streamlined relief to growers by freeing up USDA resources at State FSA offices; allowing States to allocate funds directly to growers impacted most by covered disasters; and allowing farmers to perform necessary and time-sensitive tasks on their farms without the danger of forgoing disaster aid.

This bill does not mandate States to request disaster funding through State block grants; it only opens up this option.

I have talked to many of you about this bill in the last few days, and I understand that some of my Democrat colleagues have concerns about this legislation. I want to address those concerns directly and why we are even talking about this right now.

First, this bill doesn't take anything away from anyone's State. It creates an option for block grants that help our growers and ranchers who have been impacted by disasters. Again, this bill will not negatively impact any State. I want to make sure that is clear.

I have also heard some of my colleagues say that this isn't needed because just this week, after refusing to take action for 14 months, Biden's Ag Department finally opened up the ERP portal for growers and ranchers to apply for assistance just as this was to come to a vote. Our farmers have still not received a dime.

Here is the deal: I don't trust this process--I know my constituents sure don't--and I don't think the assistance being offered is anything close to what is needed for our farmers to actually recover.

This bill helps farmers all across the country, but let me speak for Florida. We have been waiting for more than a year--14 months to be exact--and nothing was done by the Biden administration until they knew that the Senate would be voting on my bill, and it is still just an application process. I don't think anyone can blame us for feeling uneasy about this process.

If we pass this bill today, we can give certainty to growers and ranchers in all of our States that they have a reliable partner in the Federal Government to make sure they can recover from natural disasters. That seems like something we can support.

Folks across the country who put food on our tables and create jobs in our States are hurting. I have been clear to the ag community in Florida: I won't stop fighting to make sure the Federal Government keeps showing up.

This is a good bill that helps hard-working people. It has already unanimously passed in the House, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it in the Senate today.
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