The Agricultural Act of 2014

Floor Speech

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last week, the House of Representatives passed the Agricultural Act of 2014, a 5-year farm bill reauthorization, with bipartisan support by a vote of 251-166. This farm bill is a big win for the Nation's economy and will support jobs across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, while making necessary reforms that will save taxpayers billions.

Mr. Speaker, not only does this bill deliver for taxpayers, it is good public policy. We spent over 4 years crafting the measure through dozens of hearings, audits, and other forums for public and stakeholder input.

The bill was produced by the House-Senate conference committee, upon which I served, that was charged with resolving the differences between the House- and Senate-passed farm bills. Throughout this process, members of the Agriculture Committee have proved that positive movement on important pieces of legislation can be achieved.

This bill repeals direct payments and limits producers to risk management tools that offer protection when they suffer significant losses. Under the measure, limits on payment are reduced, eligibility rules are tightened, and means tests are streamlined to make farm programs more accountable.

The measure provides historic reforms to dairy policy by repealing outdated and ineffective dairy programs. It supports small businesses and beginning farmers and ranchers with training and access to capital.

The agreement reauthorizes numerous research, extension, and education programs, including programs for land grant universities, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Agricultural Research Service.

This farm bill makes the first reforms to the food stamp program since the welfare reforms of 1996, while maintaining critical food assistance to families in need. It closes the heat and eat loophole that artificially increases benefit levels when States provide nominal LIHEAP assistance.

The bill also includes the Forest Products Fairness Act, a bill I introduced, which would open new market opportunities for timber and forest products by allowing them to qualify for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's BioPreferred program. It contains language codifying the Forest Service's authority to categorically exclude noncontroversial day-to-day activities from the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, assessments. It provides certainty to the forest products industry by clarifying that forest roads and related silvicultural activities will not be treated as a point source of pollution under the Clean Water Act and will no longer be subject to frivolous lawsuits.

It improves the farm bill conservation title through the consolidation of 23 duplicative programs into 13. Overall, the package reduces deficits by $16.6 billion over 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, for family farms and agribusinesses in my home State that drive the economy with more than $68 billion in total economic activity annually, this bill is a big win. For individuals and families in my home State that are looking for that next job or a little more take-home pay, this bill is a big win. For the families and individuals that rely on safe and affordable food every day, this bill is a big win.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Senate to quickly pass this bill and get it to the President's desk for his signature. Americans deserve as much.

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