Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott released the following statement as the first session of the 118th Congress wraps up.
“When Mike Johnson was elected speaker, he indicated he wanted to pass the farm bill in December and begin negotiating with the Senate ‘as soon as possible.’ Today, Republicans are going home for the holidays and leaving this critical agricultural legislation undone and without a plan to move forward. House Agriculture Committee Democrats stand ready and willing to secure a bipartisan bill that works for America’s farmers, ranchers, foresters, and families.
“The failure of the House Republican leadership to support rural America was foreshadowed when they manufactured a debt default crisis, attempted to force a government shutdown, and then proposed an Agriculture Appropriations bill that was so damaging to rural development and research that it was voted down and then abandoned by their own Republican Members.
“With no commitment from the House Republican leadership to find additional funds for the House Agriculture Committee’s efforts to improve the farm bill’s safety net, Chairman Thompson is forced to look at cutting other agriculture programs.
“While we are willing to continue a bipartisan process to craft a bill that supports farmers, foresters, ranchers, and families across America — House Agriculture Committee Democrats have made it clear that cutting the Inflation Reduction Act funding for conservation and energy is a non-starter. We also continue to oppose in the strongest possible terms all efforts to take food away from Americans facing food insecurity, including children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans.
“The farm bill is critical to farmers and the families they feed. It is shameful that the House Republican leadership does not seem to share in our commitment to advancing the interests of agriculture and rural America.”
Read Speaker Johnson's promised legislative timeline: link here.
Read House Agriculture Committee Democrats's letters opposing cuts to the Inflation Reduction Act:link hereandlink here.
