Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2997, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2997, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010 -- (House of Representatives - July 08, 2009)

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, just so there's no confusion, I want to remind my colleagues that we are dealing with the Agriculture appropriations bill and not the Defense appropriations bill or any other appropriations bill. This is the Agriculture appropriations bill.

Mr. Speaker, technically this point of order is about whether or not to consider this rule and ultimately the underlying bill. In reality, it's about trying to block this bill without any opportunity for debate and without any opportunity for an up-or-down vote on the legislation itself.

Mr. Speaker, the underlying bill that we want to consider here is a bill that provides food and nutrition to some of the most desperate people in this country. It's a bill that will provide much-needed help to farmers in rural areas all across this country. This is an important bill for a number of reasons, and I think it's wrong to try to delay this bill or block this legislation from coming to the floor. I hope my colleagues will vote ``yes'' so that we can consider this important legislation on its merits and not stop it on a procedural obstructionist motion.

Those who oppose this bill can vote against it on final passage. We must consider this rule, and we must pass this legislation today. Mr. Speaker, I have the right to close; but in the end I will urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to consider the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate the tactics that my friends on the other side of the aisle are employing right now to try to delay and obstruct this legislation from moving forward. But, as I said, this legislation is important. It's important to a lot of people. The food stamp program is funded in this bill, WIC, a lot of important nutrition programs, plus a lot of important aid to farmers who are struggling in this tough economy. This is an important piece of legislation.

Again, I want to urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this motion to consider so we can debate and pass this important piece of legislation today. I would urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and enough of these obstructionist tactics.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

House Resolution 609 will allow this body to consider H.R. 2997, the Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill that deserves the support of every single Member in this body.

The chairwoman, ROSA DELAURO, Ranking Member JACK KINGSTON, the subcommittee members and their staffs worked tirelessly to craft a bill that provides critical funding for the needs of rural America, conservation programs and two areas that are very important to me, domestic and international food nutrition.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is not perfect. There are programs that I think should be funded at higher levels and other programs that should be reduced. Other colleagues undoubtedly have different priorities. But I believe that this bill is a solid, thoughtful, good compromise.

The FY 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Act makes three major investments. It protects Americans' public health with increases in food safety and funding for the Food and Drug Administration. It delivers critical funding and support for domestic and international food and nutrition programs, and it provides important assistance for rural America by providing funds for rural development, animal and plant health, broadband service, and conservation programs.

Mr. Speaker, this bill provides $22.9 billion for these critical programs. I should point out, less than President Obama's budget request.

With the economic crisis facing families across this Nation, the funding for rural America is more important today than ever. The rural development programs will create real opportunities for economic growth and development in small communities throughout our country. There is funding for rural housing, investments in rural businesses, and support for new community facility infrastructure. The funding for the Farm Service Agency and agriculture research is of vital importance as our farmers and ranchers continue to adapt their businesses into the 21st-century economy.

I particularly want to thank Chairwoman DELAURO for including critical funding for the eradication of the Asian long-horned beetle. This devastating insect has infiltrated my hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts, and surrounding towns. Because there is no natural predator, the only way to eradicate the insect is to eliminate the trees where they live. If this infestation is not stopped, you could devastate the hard wood forest of New England. This is an expensive but critically important endeavor and this bill provides significant funding for that effort.

Mr. Speaker, as we have seen over the past few years, America's food supply is simply not as safe as it should be. We have seen salmonella and E. coli outbreaks in various parts of this country. And the continuing importation of food from around the world means we need to have a vigilant and dedicated effort to protect our food supply from contamination.

This bill provides funding specifically for the inspection of meat, poultry and egg products. There is also critical funding to improve the safety of domestic and imported food and medical products. These programs alone make this bill worth supporting, and I commend Chairwoman DELAURO for her steadfast support of this work.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, and of great importance to me, are the programs that provide food and nutrition to millions of people here at home and around the world. This bill provides significant funding for SNAP, formerly called food stamps; for WIC, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and International Food Aid, both P.L. 480 title II and the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition program.

I have long believed, Mr. Speaker, that hunger here at home and around the world is a political condition, that we have the resources to end hunger; but we simply haven't mustered the political will to do so. This bill is a major step forward in that fight to end hunger.

Domestically, this bill fully funds the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, program. This is a vital program that provides healthy and nutritious food to pregnant mothers and their newborn children. The funding in this bill will help over 700,000 more women, infants, and children. That means over 10 million people will now be able to participate in this important program.

The bill also provides funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, something the Bush administration never thought fit to fund, but which actually provides nutritious food to over 500,000 low-income women, infants and children and elderly people who struggle with high food costs. This bill also expands the CSFP participation into six States: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Delaware, Utah, New Jersey and Georgia.

The SNAP program, authorized in the farm bill, is funded through the FY2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill. This is one of the most important safety programs in the country. Low- and middle-income families who struggle to put food on their tables are able to turn to the SNAP program for help.

There are over 36 million people in this country who go without food during the year. Too often, families are forced to choose between rent, utilities, and food. SNAP allows families to receive funding so they can buy the food they normally wouldn't be able to afford.

Mr. Speaker, healthy, nutritious food is a right, not a privilege. The notion that we should turn our backs on people who cannot afford it is unfathomable. Millions of Americans needed this help even before the economic downturn.

Today, the number of hungry Americans will undoubtedly be higher than last year; and without SNAP, millions of Americans would go to bed hungry every day. I am proud of the program, and I congratulate the Speaker of the House and Chairwoman DELAURO in their support for this and other anti-hunger efforts.

Finally, I am pleased that there is a significant investment in the International Food Aid provisions funded in this bill. Many of my colleagues may not know that International Food Aid is funded in the Agriculture Appropriations bill.

But this bill thanks the leadership of Chairwoman DELAURO, increases funding for P.L. 480 title II by $464 million for a total of $1.69 billion.

This bill also increases funding for the McGovern-Dole program, increasing the total to $199.5 million. Based on our Nation's school meal program, the McGovern-Dole program provides food to millions of hungry kids at school, allowing children to receive both food and an education.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. It funds the priorities of our Nation and it deserves our support.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to submit into the Record the Statement of Administration Policy on this bill in which the Obama administration strongly supports this bill.

Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget,

Washington, DC, July 7, 2009.

(House Rules)

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 2997--Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (Rep. Obey, D-Wisconsin)

The Administration strongly supports House passage of H.R. 2997, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010.

A strong, vibrant rural America is central to our country's future. The bill, as reported by the committee, makes important investments in infrastructure so economic progress does not bypass rural communities. The legislation provides the resources necessary to keep our food and our medicines safe and reliable. It provides critical support for farmers to continue the nation's leading role in feeding the world. This legislation also addresses chronic problems facing Americans, including poverty and nutrition and housing. It invests dollars in rural America for the benefit of all Americans.

In addition, the legislation responds to the President's call for investments in programs that work while ending programs that do not. This legislation gives priority to merit-based funding in critical infrastructure programs. The Administration urges the Congress to continue to apply high standards to funding decisions so as to shape fiscally responsible policies that provide solid returns on the taxpayers' investments.

The Administration would like to take this opportunity to share additional views regarding the Committee's version of the bill.

ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES

Expand Broadband Access. The Administration appreciates the Committee's support for the President's goal of increasing access to broadband. However, the President's request provided an increase in loan funding which the Committee moves into grants, resulting in a decrease in loan support of $132 million. This reduction will slow expansion of broadband into rural America.

Rural Revitalization. The FY 2010 Budget requested an increase of $70 million for rural revitalization grants. The Administration is disappointed that the Committee provides less than $10 million of the requested increase, including no increase for Secondary and Post-Secondary Education, Institution Challenge Grants, or the Quality of Life Program.

Renewable Energy. The Administration appreciates the support the Committee has provided to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Business programs. However, the Administration urges the Congress to fund the Rural Energy for America program at the full requested amount. This program is necessary in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in rural communities.

Efficiencies and Cost-Saving Proposals. The Administration appreciates the Committee's support for some of the President's initiatives to terminate or reduce USDA programs that have outlived their usefulness, such as public broadcast grants to help the digital conversion, or that are duplicative of other USDA programs, such as high-cost energy grants. The Administration encourages the Congress to reconsider other proposals made by the Administration that would better target scarce resources and eliminate duplicative programs.

FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

The Administration is concerned with sections 723 and 724 of the bill which deal with food safety issues. The Administration would like to work with the Congress to address the issues raised by the Committee in a manner that would protect the Nation's food supply and be consistent with our international obligations.

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES

The Administration is pleased with the Committee's support for strengthening nutrition assistance programs by including funding for food banks, community-based food providers, fully funding WIC, and by supporting a pilot initiative to help increase elderly participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

The Administration appreciates that the Committee provides full funding to begin modernization of the Farm Service Agency's information technology network. Once completed, the multi-year stabilization and modernization plan, dubbed ``MIDAS,'' will allow the agency to provide program benefits in a more efficient, accurate, and responsive manner.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

The Administration appreciates that the Committee funds the majority of Rural Development at the President's requested levels. However, funding for the Rental Assistance Grants falls $77 million short of the estimate needed to renew the expiring rental assistance contracts expected in FY 2010. The Administration urges the Congress to provide the full request of $1.1 billion, which will continue the support of rents for USDA-financed properties on behalf of the tenants who receive subsidized rent.

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA)

The Administration appreciates that the Committee provides the request to strengthen the FDA's efforts to make food and medical products safer. This funding will allow FDA to work with domestic and foreign industry to develop new control measures for all levels of the supply chain, improve and increase risk-based inspections, and respond more effectively with rapid and targeted product tracing when problems do occur.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS

Consistent with the Executive Branch's long-standing views regarding section 713, the Administration notes that section 713 raises constitutional concerns under the Recommendations Clause and should be eliminated.

I will also point out that the bill that has been reported by the Appropriations Committee is less in terms of spending than what the Obama administration originally requested.

I would also say, and I want to say this very strongly, that I support the increases in spending in this bill because they're mostly in two areas, food safety and food security, making sure that the food that people buy in supermarkets is safe and making sure that people in this country who are hungry because of this lousy economic situation can have enough to eat, can put food on the table for their families.

We have a terrible situation in this country where the number of hungry people is in the tens of millions, and we can't just walk away from that. And my colleague talks about across-the-board cuts. Across-the-board cuts that make no sense and don't discriminate as to where they're going to cut means you're going to cut programs for food and nutrition that will literally take the food out of the mouths of hungry children. I don't want to do that.

This is a good bill. It has been worked on, I think, with great effort by both Democrats and Republicans, and I strongly support it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The gentleman, my good friend from Texas, said he wants to talk about process and procedure, so let's talk about process and procedure.

The amendment he brought before the Rules Committee was a violation of the House rules. Even under a complete open rule on the House floor, it would have been subject to a point of order because it was legislating on an appropriations bill. So you want to talk about process, we'll talk about process. The gentleman's amendment would have been not in order under any process.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to respond to the gentleman from New York's comments. I realize that he's new, but the fact is that both of his amendments would have been a violation of the House rules even under an open rule. The gentleman was legislating on an appropriations bill. There are other ways for him to get his point across.

I share his concerns on the dairy issue. I come from a New England State. But the fact of the matter is that even under an open rule, his amendments would have been ruled out of order because they're legislating on an appropriations bill.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I appreciate that the gentleman is not a happy camper, and my sympathies go to his district for what it's going through. But as he knows, this is an appropriations bill. What he was doing was attempting to legislate on an appropriations bill, which would have been subject to a point of order under any circumstances. So maybe the gentleman could work with the appropriate committee to try to resolve this issue. I surely would be willing to try to help him. But on this bill his amendment would have been made out of order under any circumstance.

I have no further speakers other than me. I would yield to the gentlelady to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, we need to pass this rule and we need to pass this bill. This is a bill that provides funds to protect public health, moneys for the Food and Drug Administration, and it funds hunger and nutrition programs including fully funding WIC. There is money in here for rural development, conservation, oversight, and enforcement.

Let's be clear, Mr. Speaker, the reason why we need this bill is in large part due to the 8 years of Republican neglect and indifference on a lot of these issues. More people in America today are hungry than a year ago. And I will tell the gentlelady from North Carolina that yes, there are increases in this bill, although it still comes in under the requests of President Obama, but there are increases in this bill, especially to help deal with the fact that so many in this country can't afford to put food on the table.

I will also say to the gentlelady that these aren't just homeless people or these are not just people without jobs. These are increasingly working families, people who are working who can't afford to put food on their table in the United States of America, the richest country on this planet. That is shameful. And globally, because of a lack of leadership over the last 8 years, over 1 billion people are hungry. That may not bother some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but it bothers me, it bothers my constituents, and it bothers the American people.

My friends can complain all they want, but it won't feed a single hungry child. My friends can try all the obstructionist tactics that they want, but it won't save a single rural family farm. The American people want relief. They want us to provide a helping hand. I think too many of my friends on the other side of the aisle seem to me more interested in delaying, obstructing, and killing important legislation than advancing it. That may be the advice of some high-priced political consultant at the Republican National Committee, but it is a bad way to serve the American people.

Our side has repeatedly tried to reach out and reach an accommodation on debate and on amendments with the minority, only to be rebuffed.

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