[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 100 (Monday, June 13, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H5451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        WORLDWIDE UREA SHORTAGE

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Madam Speaker, it is no secret that America is facing 
many crises today, most unnecessary, on the border, fuel, inflation, 
even baby formula shortages.
  But one thing that is not being talked about a lot is that we have a 
worldwide shortage of urea, which is a component in fertilizer, as well 
as fluid called DEF used in diesel engines for trucks, tractors, et 
cetera, made after 2010.
  It is very important that we have this essential element because if 
we don't have our trucks and tractors and even trains running, then we 
are going to have even bigger supply crises than what we have now.
  China and Russia are two of the major exporters of this urea product, 
and they are actually cutting their exportations of them in order to 
take care of themselves.
  What we need to do in this country is step up our own production once 
again. After Hurricane Ida--down on the Gulf Coast a few years ago--
caused suspension of operations of some of these plants that we have, 
we have to get it back going again because we need urea for 
our fertilizer to continue to grow food and to have our diesel engines 
that require DEF, the diesel exhaust fluid, to keep going and deliver 
the items we need.

  Why do we need yet another crisis of running out and messing up the 
supply chain?

                          ____________________