Executive Calendar--Continued
Floor Speech
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Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam President, it is a real honor to be down here with my friend and the chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee, Senator Stabenow, and I appreciate her cooperation in working so very hard and providing the leadership to get Secretary Vilsack confirmed.
The nomination hearing was held a few weeks ago by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to vet the former Secretary and now future Secretary Vilsack. The timing was unusual, but it displayed the bipartisan nature of the committee. The committee was not officially organized, so the chairwoman and I, because we didn't want to set a precedent and didn't have any precedent in that situation, led the hearing together. I trust, in going forward, that the chairwoman will continue to work with me and our minority members on the committee to assist the Agriculture Committee in a truly bipartisan way. We have the example of her and Senator Roberts in the great job that they did in working as a team.
Secretary Vilsack is no stranger to the Department of Agriculture, in having served as the Secretary from 2009 through 2017. He has an excellent reputation of putting rural America at the top of his agenda. I am a strong believer that past performance is indicative of future performance, so I am confident that Secretary Vilsack will be successful this go-around.
I look forward to strengthening my working relationship with the Secretary so we can find success in supporting those who work at the Department and assisting those whom the Department serves. Whether that success is borne from the Secretary's utilizing existing authorities or through new legislation, I trust that the Secretary will work with Congress as the agriculture community tackles new and existing challenges and works to build on countless past successes.
The Department must continue to work with all producers in order to provide them with certainty and with predictability. Farmers and ranchers find themselves in a curious position and curious times in battling COVID, natural disasters, and turning the tide of a few tumultuous trade seasons. The Secretary must ensure that this administration works with producers of all regions and all commodities and that the Department does not make the hard work of farmers and ranchers more difficult by throwing up obstacles as opposed to opening doors of opportunity.
I look forward to Secretary Vilsack's coming back to the committee in a few weeks to discuss his plans in depth for the Department as was agreed to at his hearing. I believe the discussion will help the committee have a clearer picture of the Department and the work that lays before us. I will be voting to confirm Tom Vilsack, former Secretary and future Secretary. I urge others to do so as well.
Again, thank you to the chairwoman for her collegiality and cooperation.
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