Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (Extensions of Remarks - August 02, 2007)

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SPEECH OF
HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.
OF MICHIGAN
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2007

The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3161) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes:

* Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the passage of H.R. 3161, The 2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill. Chairwoman ROSA DELAURO has done excellent work to create fiscally and morally responsible legislation that reinvests in rural America, protects public health, improves nutritional standards for all Americans, all while transforming our future energy and conservation goals.

* This legislation represents a new direction in the way we invest in our families and our farmers. It is a direction towards improving the health and well-being of all communities and to implement policies which put middle and working-class families center-stage. In rural America, H.R. 3161 provides significant increases to grants and loans for critical community facilities, affordable loans for low and moderate-income families in rural areas, with no increase in fees, and substantially increases affordable loans and grants for farm worker housing. There is also a large increase in funding for affordable home loans in rural areas that will ultimately double the number of homeowners from the 2002 level, by 2010.

* In the areas of public health and nutrition, H.R. 3161 offers more than a billion dollars that will provide Americans with jobs in the food safety and inspection industry, improves food and drug safety regulations, and protects programs that feed women, infants, children, and the elderly. This bill increases funds for such programs as the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable, and Simplified Summer Food programs that provide nutritious foods to children in low-income families, as well as specialty crop grants to encourage more fruit and vegetable consumption. Most importantly, in the Food Stamp Program, this bill not only increases funding to accommodate growing participation, but it excludes special pay for military personnel in eligibility determination, and rejects the administration's proposal to restrict eligibility for food stamps that will exclude needy families who are receiving certain other services.

* The Agriculture Committee has also taken into consideration our need for renewable energy and conservation by allocating over $2 billion in funding for renewable energy loans and grants to businesses to grow our economy, create new jobs, lower energy prices, and reduce global warming. Furthermore, H.R. 3161 provides resources for research, aid to farmers and ranchers, and loans to businesses. The bill also restores many programs the President would have cut or eliminated, including the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, Resource Conservation and Development, and the watershed programs.

* Mr. Chairman, I am extremely proud of my colleagues for their efforts in maintaining the lifeline of all Americans--our farms, nutrition, and energy policies.

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