[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 88 (Wednesday, June 19, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H3767]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WE NEED A RESPONSIBLE FARM BILL
(Mr. STUTZMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, as a fourth-generation farmer, I know
firsthand how important the farm bill is for farmers. I believe that we
need a farm bill, but I also believe we need a responsible farm bill.
Unfortunately, the bill passed out of the Rules Committee last night
is a farm bill in name only, with 80 percent of the spending going
toward food stamps. This isn't the solution American taxpayers deserve.
Washington's unholy alliance of farm policy and nutrition policy has
spun out of control, and now we will consider a massive trillion-dollar
spending package called a farm bill.
Mr. Speaker, we must have an up-or-down vote to split the farm bill
into a true farm-only farm bill and a separate food stamp bill. The
American people deserve an honest conversation about how Washington
spends their money. We've made progress ending direct payments, but
there's more work ahead.
Let's do our work in the full light of day by splitting this bill and
having serious debate on both farm and welfare policy. Without that
debate, I cannot in good conscience vote for a welfare bill passed on
the backs of hardworking American farmers.
____________________