Walberg: Let's Pass Farm Bill Without Tax Hikes

Statement

Walberg: Let's Pass Farm Bill Without Tax Hikes

U.S. Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI), the only Michigan member of the House Agriculture Committee, today made the following statement about a Farm Bill agreement that is currently being finalized by a bi-partisan Farm Bill conference committee. The conference committee has begun to iron out differences between the House- and Senate-passed farm bills (both passed in 2007) before a final bill comes to the House floor.

"In 2007, House leadership brushed aside months of hard work by Republicans and Democrats on the House Agriculture committee and decided to insert a 600% tax increase on subsidiary manufacturers into the Farm Bill.

"A recent study revealed Michigan ranks 9th in the United States in the number of employees supported by U.S. subsidiaries, and many significant international job-creators in Michigan would see a 600% tax increase because they have American plants and employ Americans. Overall, this bill would have raised taxes on companies who employ 5.1 million American workers and pay $325 billion in wages to American workers. This is simply unacceptable.

"We need to pass a Farm Bill that meets the needs of American farmers without raising taxes. I was pleased to support a bi-partisan motion that passed the House 400-11 instructing conferees not to agree to any provisions that increase taxes in a final Farm Bill agreement. I urge the conference committee to work together in a bi-partisan way, recognize that tax increases destroy jobs and pass a Farm Bill that gives our farmers certainty for the future."

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