[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 51 (Thursday, March 18, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H1572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SUPPER FROM A LAB IS NOT A SOLUTION

  (Mr. FORTENBERRY asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, Nebraska is famous for its high-quality 
beef; and what wine is to France, beef is to Nebraska.
  Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, a number of us took note when Microsoft 
founder Bill Gates proposed that the wealthiest nations move to a 
hundred percent synthetic beef--synthetic beef--to fight climate 
change.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, I have been in meetings with Bill Gates, and I 
respect his intellect and his desire for social responsibility by the 
world's wealthiest, and I have no beef with Bill for his desire to see 
us transition to a much more sustainable economy, and I agree. But 
making supper from a lab? That is not a solution. That is a chemistry 
experiment.
  Mr. Speaker, America makes food, real food, and we shouldn't disrupt 
a nutritional food source and management of our animal resources that 
would have minimal effect on greenhouse gases.
  I have an idea. I would like to invite Mr. Gates to the West Point 
Livestock Auction, and he can present his proposal for lab-based meat 
to the farmers and ranchers there. We would have a healthy debate.

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