[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 8, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H6911-H6912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING REPRESENTATIVE COLLIN C. PETERSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Panetta) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our colleague and my 
good friend, chairman of the Agricultural Committee, Collin Peterson.
  Mr. Speaker, Chairman Peterson has served 30 years as a Member of 
Congress; so long that there was another Congressman Panetta serving in 
this body when Collin was elected back in 1990. Fortunately, over that 
long time came experience and wisdom that Chairman Peterson was more 
than happy to use and share to help other Members of Congress, to serve 
his constituents in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, and to 
further our Nation's agriculture. One thing that I have learned and one 
thing that Chairman Peterson will always tell us is that more needs to 
be done for our agriculture.
  Mr. Speaker, now, I first met Chairman Peterson as a freshman Member 
on the Agriculture Committee. I will never forget how he gathered the 
freshmen Democrats, who were all excited not just to be a part of 
Congress, but having the opportunity to formulate the upcoming farm 
bill. But in his, let's just say, charming way, Collin quickly cooled 
that enthusiasm when he warned us about the potential for issues on the 
nutrition title--the largest section of that bill--in which he said it 
could prevent us from getting a bill.

  In fact, in his straightforward way, he actually said, ``If they 
screw with SNAP, we are not getting a farm bill.''
  I have to say, as the 115th went on, and with the positive hearings 
we had on SNAP, I was incredulous as to that warning that Chairman 
Peterson had. But that ominous warning turned into an accurate 
prediction, because 2 weeks before the farm bill was dropped, we were 
notified of the majority's desire to add stringent restrictions on how 
one acquires SNAP benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, but what I experienced after that was something I will 
never forget. The way Chairman Peterson not only stood firm in his 
beliefs about the importance of the benefits to low-income families and 
that the fraud and error rate in those programs is among the lowest in 
government, and using the passion of Congressman   David Scott, 
Chairman Peterson got us all to stand together in opposition.
  He then worked together with chairman and ranking member of the 
Senate Agriculture Committee to push together, push forward, put 
together and pass a bipartisan 2018 farm bill.
  Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that Chairman Peterson was able to 
do so, because during his time, he worked on five farm bills, a bill 
that has 12 titles and is complex and nuanced. So to lead the 
Agriculture Committee, to lead Congress, and to unify our members on 
something so diverse, it takes leadership, it takes knowledge of the 
farm policy, but also an understanding and appreciation of how the farm 
bill protects our food security and the people affected by our foreign 
policy.
  It is also a bill that demonstrates what Chairman Peterson stands for 
and what Chairman Peterson made the Agriculture Committee stand for--a 
platform to support farmers, ranchers, and families in America. From 
the row crops and dairy producers in his rural district to the 
speciality crop and organic farmers and farm workers in my district, to 
the families in every district who rely on food assistance programs, 
Chairman Peterson made

[[Page H6912]]

sure that all of us in Congress have a seat at the Agriculture 
Committee. I believe that is a big part of why the Agriculture 
Committee stands out for its bipartisanship and its commonsense 
approach in protecting food security and promoting people in 
agriculture.
  Mr. Speaker, see, based on who he is and where he comes from, 
Chairman Peterson understands the incredible contributions that rural 
Americans have on our way of life. We do have the best farmers and farm 
workers in the world. Rural Americans supply most of our food, our 
water, and our energy. They are the reason for our food security and 
our economic diversity. We don't have to pay that much for food. 
Therefore, we can spend on other things in our lives and create a 
diverse economy.
  Mr. Speaker, rural Americans understand that every American's 
obligation is to give back to this country and community that has given 
us so much. Maybe that is why 30 percent of rural America makes up 30 
percent of our Armed Forces. But what Chairman Peterson warns is that, 
even with all that good work in rural America, they feel 
underappreciated and they feel overwhelmed.
  Chairman Peterson sees that firsthand with the widening divide 
between rural America and urban America, a divide that has led to the 
depletion of jobs, of small businesses, of people, and even 
communities, which ultimately leads to a growing sense of desperation.
  Don't get me wrong, people in agriculture are used to dealing with 
the challenges. I call them the four Ms. They deal with Mother Nature. 
They deal with the markets. They deal with the mandates. They deal with 
the migration and the lack of labor. But they are always pivoting to 
get over those hurdles. It is that risk-taking attitude that allows 
them not just to survive, but to succeed.
  Mr. Speaker, nowadays, there are other forces in play in rural 
America, with large corporate firms squeezing out the family-owned 
farms, with chain stores pricing out mom-and-pop stores, with the lack 
of rural broadband, and the lack of healthcare options and the 
shrinking number of rural hospitals.
  It is no wonder why in many parts of rural America there is a sense 
of desperation leading to a ridiculously high rate of suicides and 
leaving a vacuum that can be filled with a vilification of certain 
races, certain places, and certain political parties.
  Unfortunately, this has led not just to that type of vilification, 
but also to the lack of faith and how our Congress and government can 
help them.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to do what Chairman Peterson has always said 
we should do. It is time for us to do more for those who aren't from 
rural districts to work on focusing and connecting with rural districts 
by showing up, by shutting up, by listening up, and for us to put up a 
strategy that is not just about doling out billions of dollars to 
farmers, but actually partnering with them so they have sustainable 
business and a sustainable way of life.
  Mr. Speaker, if we do that, we will uphold what Chairman Peterson has 
always asked us to do, and that is to work for the people and 
agriculture, and we can do that and provide faith to people in rural 
America and all of America.

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