[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 89 (Thursday, June 20, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E934-E936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       FEDERAL AGRICULTURE REFORM AND RISK MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. FRANK D. LUCAS

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 18, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1947) to 
     provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and 
     other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 
     fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes:

  Mr. LUCAS. Madam Chair, I submit the following exchange of letters:

                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Ways and Means,

                                    Washington, DC, June 14, 2013.
     Hon. Frank Lucas,
     Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Lucas: I am writing to you concerning the 
     bill H.R. 1947, the ``Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk 
     Management Act,'' which is expected to be on the floor the 
     week of June 17, 2013. This legislation includes provisions 
     in sections 1207 and 1301 that pertain to the jurisdiction of 
     the Committee on Ways and Means with respect to the 
     imposition and collection of tariffs on imports of cotton and 
     sugar. Further, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains 
     jurisdiction over all matters that concern raising revenue as 
     contained in sections 1412 and 1435.
       The Committee recognizes the importance of H.R. 1947 and 
     the need to move expeditiously. Therefore, the Committee is 
     willing to forego action on the bill with the understanding 
     that by doing so, the Committee is not in any way prejudiced 
     with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives or the 
     appointment of conferees on this or similar legislation.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 1947, and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Dave Camp,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                     Committee on Agriculture,

                                    Washington, DC, June 17, 2013.
     Hon. Dave Camp,
     Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1947, the Federal Agricultural Reform and Risk Management Act 
     of 2013. As you noted, there are provisions of the bill that 
     fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways 
     and Means.
       I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on H.R. 1947, 
     and I agree that your decision should not prejudice the 
     Committee on Ways and Means with respect to the appointment 
     of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or 
     similar legislation.
       I will include a copy of our exchange of letters in the 
     Congressional Record during the floor consideration.
       Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look 
     forward to continued cooperation between our respective 
     committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of 
           Representatives,
                                     Washington, DC, May 22, 2013.
     Hon. Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 1947, the 
     Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, 
     as ordered reported by the Committee on Agriculture. There 
     are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within 
     the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure.
       In order to expedite this legislation for floor 
     consideration, the Committee will not assert a jurisdictional 
     claim over this bill by seeking a sequential referral. 
     However, this is conditional on our mutual understanding and 
     agreement that doing so does not in any way alter or diminish 
     the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure with respect to the appointment of conferees 
     or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject 
     matters contained in the bill or similar legislation. I 
     request you urge the Speaker to name members of the Committee 
     to any conference committee named to consider such 
     provisions.
       Please place a copy of this letter and your response 
     acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into the committee 
     report on H.R. 1947 and into the Congressional Record during 
     consideration of the measure on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Bill Shuster,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                     Committee on Agriculture,

                                     Washington, DC, May 23, 2013.
     Hon. Bill Shuster,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1947, the Federal Agricultural Reform and Risk Management Act 
     of 2013. As you noted, there are provisions of the bill that 
     fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure.
       I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on H.R. 1947, 
     and I agree that your decision should not prejudice the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with respect 
     to the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional 
     prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
       I will include a copy of our exchange of letters in the 
     Committee Report to accompany the bill and in the 
     Congressional Record during the floor consideration.
       Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look 
     forward to continued cooperation between our respective 
     committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of 
           Representatives,
                                     Washington, DC, May 22, 2013.
     Hon. Frank Lucas,
     Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to confirm our mutual 
     understanding with respect to the consideration of H.R. 1947, 
     the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 
     2013. Thank you for consulting with the Committee on 
     Education and the Workforce with regard to H.R. 1947. The 
     committee remains watchful of policy changes to the nutrition 
     programs within the bill under its jurisdiction and those 
     that may impact programs under the Child Nutrition Act.
       In the interest of expediting the House's consideration of 
     H.R. 1947, the Committee on Education and the Workforce will 
     forgo further consideration on this bill. However, I do so 
     only with the understanding that this procedural route will 
     not be construed to prejudice the committee's jurisdictional 
     interest and prerogatives on this bill or any other similar 
     legislation and will not be considered as precedent for 
     consideration of matters of jurisdicational interest to my 
     committee in the future.
       I respectfully request your support for the appointment of 
     outside conferees from the

[[Page E935]]

     Committee on Education and the Workforce should this bill or 
     a similar bill be considered in a conference with the Senate. 
     I also request that you include our exchange of letters on 
     this matter in the Committee Report on H.R. 1947 and in the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of this bill on the 
     House floor.
       Thank you for your attention to these matters.
           Sincerely,
                                                       John Kline,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                     Committee on Agriculture,

                                     Washington, DC, May 22, 2013.
     Hon. John Kline,
     Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1947, the Federal Agricultural Reform and Risk Management Act 
     of 2013. As you noted, there are provisions of the bill that 
     fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Education and the Workforce.
       I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on H.R. 1947, 
     and I agree that your decision should not prejudice the 
     Committee on Education and the Workforce with respect to the 
     appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this or similar legislation.
       I will include a copy of our exchange of letters in the 
     Committee Report to accompany the bill and in the 
     Congressional Record during the floor consideration.
       Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look 
     forward to continued cooperation between our respective 
     committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, 
           and Technology,
                                     Washington, DC, May 23, 2013.
     Hon. Frank Lucas,
     Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Lucas: I am writing to you concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Science, Space, 
     and Technology in H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform 
     and Risk Management Act of 2013. The bill contains several 
     provisions which are within the Committee on Science, Space, 
     and Technology's jurisdiction.
       The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
     acknowledges the importance of H.R. 1947 and the desire to 
     bring this legislation before the House of Representatives in 
     an expeditious manner. Therefore, while we have a valid 
     jurisdictional claim over the bill, I agree not to request a 
     sequential referral. This, of course, being conditional on 
     our mutual understanding that nothing in this legislation or 
     my decision to forgo a sequential referral waives, reduces, 
     or otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Science, Space, and Technology.
       Additionally, the Committee on Science, Space, and 
     Technology expressly reserves its authority to seek the 
     appointment of conferees during any House-Senate conference 
     that may be convened on this, or any similar legislation. I 
     ask for your commitment to support any request by the 
     Committee for conferees on H.R. 1947 as well as any similar 
     or related legislation.
       I ask that a copy of this letter and your response be 
     included in the report on H.R. 1947 and also be placed in the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the 
     House floor.
       I look forward to working with you as we move this 
     important measure through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Lamar Smith,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                     Committee on Agriculture,

                                     Washington, DC, May 21, 2013.
     Hon. Lamar Smith,
     Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1947, the Federal Agricultural Reform and Risk Management Act 
     of 2013. As you noted, there are provisions of the bill that 
     fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Science, Space, and Technology.
       I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on H.R. 1947, 
     and I agree that your decision should not prejudice the 
     Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with respect to 
     the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional 
     prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
       I will include a copy of our exchange of letters in the 
     Committee Report to accompany the bill and in the 
     Congressional Record during the floor consideration.
       Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look 
     forward to continued cooperation between our respective 
     committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and 
           Government Reform,
                                     Washington, DC, May 24, 2013.
     Hon. Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 1947, the 
     ``Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 
     2013,'' which your Committee reported on May 16, 2013.
       H.R. 1947 contains provisions within the Committee on 
     Oversight and Government Reform's Rule X jurisdiction. As a 
     result of your having consulted with the Committee and in 
     order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the 
     Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will forego 
     action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our 
     mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or 
     alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight and 
     Government Reform with respect to the appointment of 
     conferees, or to any future jurisdictional claim over the 
     subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding, and would request that you include a copy 
     of this letter and your response in the Committee Report and 
     in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of 
     this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Darrell Issa,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                     Committee on Agriculture,

                                     Washington, DC, May 24, 2013.
     Hon. Darrell E. Issa,
     Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1947, the Federal Agricultural Reform and Risk Management Act 
     of 2013. As you noted, there are provisions of the bill that 
     fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Oversight and Government Reform.
       I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on H.R. 1947, 
     and I agree that your decision should not prejudice the 
     Committee on Oversight and Government Reform with respect to 
     the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional 
     prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
       I will include a copy of our exchange of letters in the 
     Committee Report to accompany the bill and in the 
     Congressional Record during the floor consideration.
       Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look 
     forward to continued cooperation between our respective 
     committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                             Committee on Energy and Commerce,

                                     Washington, DC, May 29, 2013.
     Hon. Frank D. Lucas,
     Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Lucas: I write concerning H.R. 1947, the 
     ``Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 
     2013,'' which was ordered to be reported out of your 
     Committee on May 15, 2013.
       I wanted to notify you that the Committee on Energy and 
     Commerce will agree to waive seeking a formal referral of 
     H.R. 1947 in order that it may proceed expeditiously to the 
     House floor for consideration.
       This is done with the understanding that the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce is not waiving any of its jurisdiction, 
     and the Committee will not in any way be prejudiced with 
     respect to the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional 
     prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming 
     this understanding, and ask that a copy of our exchange of 
     letters on this matter be included in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration of H.R. 1947 on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Fred Upton,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                     Committee on Agriculture,

                                     Washington, DC, May 29, 2013.
     Hon. Fred Upton,
     Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1947, the Federal Agricultural Reform and Risk Management Act 
     of 2013. As you noted, there are provisions of the bill that 
     fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce.
       I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on H.R. 1947, 
     and I agree that your decision should not prejudice the 
     Committee on Energy and Commerce with respect to the 
     appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this or similar legislation.
       I will include a copy of our exchange of letters in the 
     Congressional Record during the floor consideration.
       Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look 
     forward to continued cooperation between our respective 
     committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Frank D. Lucas,
                                                         Chairman.

[[Page E936]]



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