[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 156 (Tuesday, September 26, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H4505-H4566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024


                             General Leave

  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on H.R. 4368, and that I may include tabular 
material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 723 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 4368.
  The Chair appoints the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Bentz) to preside 
over the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  2027


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 4368) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, with Mr. 
Bentz in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the 
first time.
  General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed 1 
hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective 
designees.
  The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris) and the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Bishop) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.

                              {time}  2030

  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise today to bring before the House H.R. 4368, the 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 appropriations bill.
  I thank Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Granger and commend her 
for her leadership in moving this bill and the fiscal year 2024 
appropriations process forward.
  I also recognize the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee 
(Ms. DeLauro), and the ranking member of the Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Subcommittee (Mr. Bishop).
  I appreciate the conversations he and I have had regarding the bill. 
While I know we don't agree on everything, we have reached areas of 
consensus that will keep our ag communities strong.
  As Americans know all too well, our country continues to battle high 
inflation driven by the overspending of the last Congress and the Biden 
administration.
  The fiscal situation in the United States, in fact, has changed since 
the Appropriations Committee passed this bill in June.
  While we were on the August recess, the Congressional Budget Office 
projected the deficit to reach $2 trillion for this fiscal year, 
doubling last year's deficit of $1 trillion, and the deficit outlook 
for the future has gotten much worse.
  We simply cannot continue down this path of spending large sums of 
money without regard to the fiscal future of our Nation.
  This bill takes the same approach American families take every day. 
They simply have to do more with less under the Biden economy.
  American families decide every single day where to cut back spending 
to pay for what is most important for them. For them, those decisions 
are difficult.
  Likewise, we have to make tough, difficult decisions for the good of 
the Nation. This is why the rule implements further reductions totaling 
$2.7 billion across the discretionary accounts in this bill, except for 
the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and 
Children, or WIC.
  With this reduction, the fiscal year 2024 Agriculture appropriation 
bill's discretionary allocation is $15.1 billion.
  By redirecting nearly $7.5 billion in unobligated funds from the 
Inflation Reduction Act, this bill funds the Department of Agriculture, 
the Food and Drug Administration, and the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission with an effective program level of $22.5 billion--a decrease 
of 12.8 percent from the current fiscal year.
  This legislation prioritizes critical ag research and plant and 
animal health programs, invests in our rural communities, provides 
nutrition assistance to those in need, and ensures that American 
consumers have a safe food and drug supply.
  This legislation rejects the Biden administration's unrealistic 
proposed spending levels that disregard the dire fiscal reality our 
country faces.
  It also rejects the administration's continued push to bloat inside 
the beltway Federal bureaucracy by halting new hires in the Washington, 
D.C., office; instead, focusing on hiring an increased USDA workforce 
outside of the Capital Beltway in the offices that directly serve and 
support rural America.
  I will highlight a few areas where this legislation prioritizes 
essential functions while being responsible stewards of taxpayer 
dollars.

[[Page H4506]]

  In regard to supporting the core mission, the bill provides $1 
billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to support 
the Department's efforts to protect our producers from foreign plant 
and animal diseases.
  The bill continues to invest in the delivery of farm programs, 
disaster assistance, and crop insurance to farmers and ranchers by 
maintaining funding for the Farm Service Agency and the Risk Management 
Agency.
  The bill provides $1 billion for the Food Safety and Inspection 
Service to fund our Nation's frontline inspectors of meat and poultry 
products.
  We also continue to make important investments in critical 
agriculture research that will keep our producers on the cutting edge 
of technology and production practices.
  We continue to fund rural development programs, including critical 
infrastructure investments in water and wastewater systems, broadband, 
and rural housing programs.
  For the Food and Drug Administration, the bill provides just over $6 
billion in direct appropriations and user fees to enable the agency to 
keep food, drugs, and medical devices safe and effective.
  The bill includes $296 million for the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission to continue to oversee and ensure the integrity of U.S. 
derivative markets.
  With regards to fiscal responsibility, at the same time, this 
legislation reins in some of the administration's wasteful, out-of-
control spending.
  For instance, it removes the Secretary's discretionary use of the 
Commodity Credit Corporation to fund unauthorized, nonemergency 
programs by returning statutory language to its pre-COVID language that 
didn't have that discretionary authority.
  The CCC is not intended to allow USDA to completely bypass Congress 
in establishing new programs. Yet, the USDA apparently just can't help 
themselves, and that is exactly what they have been doing with the 
Commodity Credit Corporation.
  According to a recent article in AgriPost, the USDA intends to use 
the Commodity Credit Corporation to spend nearly $1.4 billion on trade 
programs and another $1.1 billion to pay for ``commodity-based 
international food aid.'' That sounds a lot like the Food for Peace 
program.
  Since the USDA has provided $1.1 billion for food aid that will be 
distributed during fiscal year 2024, the rule amendment reduces Food 
for Peace to $532 million.

  This bill will put an end to the habitual abuse of the CCC. In doing 
so, the bill saves $1 billion in fiscal year 2024 alone.
  Given that the USDA used these discretionary powers to spend another 
$2.5 billion and $6.6 billion in the last 2 fiscal years, respectively, 
I would submit to my colleagues that the real savings to taxpayers of 
taking these discretionary authorities away will be much higher than 
the CBO score.
  Mr. Chair, that is exactly what we need in times of the fiscal crisis 
we are in. Let me be clear: Restricting these authorities in the CCC 
will have no impact on farm bill and conservation programs, crop 
insurance, or the Secretary's ability to access the CCC in an animal or 
plant health emergency, the uses for which the program was created, not 
as a de facto slush fund for the department. All of those important 
duties and functions will continue under this bill.
  This legislation also rescinds wasteful spending from the Inflation 
Reduction Act. It is finally time to be responsible stewards of 
taxpayer dollars by rescinding these new government giveaways.
  We must work to rightsize programs, especially since the pandemic is 
over and President Biden ended the public health emergency in May.
  It, in fact, is time to return to pre-COVID spending levels. Perhaps, 
Mr. Chair, we can return to pre-COVID inflationary levels, too, which I 
am sure the American public would, indeed, welcome.
  Well, this is why we are returning the WIC cash value voucher 
benefits to a normal, sustainable inflation-adjusted funding level.
  The American Rescue Plan provided a one-time increase in these 
benefits due to the pandemic, but these increases continue to be built 
into the WIC program in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 after they were due 
to expire. Keeping these increases on autopilot adds an additional $1 
billion to the program.
  This bill does provide cash value vouchers above prepandemic levels 
to help with the food price inflation caused by the Biden economy. With 
the end of the public health emergency, it is time to return this 
program to normal pre-COVID operations.
  On the regulatory front, this legislation puts a stop to USDA's 
efforts under the Packers and Stockyards Act to dictate how poultry and 
livestock producers raise and market their animals.
  This bill also prevents the purchase of farmland by our foreign 
adversaries, while providing funds for the Farm Service Agency to 
fulfill its duty to track foreign ownership of land.
  The bill also returns the use of mifepristone to in-person dispensing 
by a healthcare provider. This is a drug that should not be used 
without the supervision of a physician or a similarly licensed 
provider.
  Anyone who truly cares, who genuinely cares about women's health and 
safety, should support this commonsense provision.
  Finally, as I said earlier, this bill takes the same approach 
American families take every single day now. They have to do more with 
less under the Biden inflation economy. American families decide every 
day where to cut back spending to pay for what is most important.
  We are not appropriating monopoly money, Mr. Chair. It is hard-earned 
taxpayer dollars, and sometimes tough decisions have to be made, and 
this bill makes them.
  In closing, I ask for your support for this important piece of 
legislation. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chair, every day when I anticipate the Agriculture appropriations 
bill coming to the floor, I wake up with my usual admonition that this 
is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
  Today as we take up this Agriculture appropriations bill, it 
stretches my faith to say that this is a good day because I rise in 
very, very strong opposition to H.R. 4368.
  As the ranking member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, 
I am extremely disappointed to see this bill does not meet the needs of 
Americans who rely on this funding to ensure safe food and medicines, 
healthy and resilient farmlands, and strong rural infrastructure.
  The programs contained in the Agriculture funding bill are important 
for all Americans, and they affect our country in so many ways.
  These programs help Americans by helping American farmers produce the 
highest quality, safest, most abundant, and most economical food and 
fiber in the world through the assistance provided through the Farm 
Service Agency in almost every county in America.
  They help future generations by funding conservation practices, which 
preserve our farmland and our national resources for years to come.
  These programs are essential to those who live in rural areas and 
ensure quality of life through access to clean drinking water, 
electricity, telecommunication, broadband, sewer infrastructure, and 
housing.
  They help feed every American, including our most vulnerable 
families, children, and seniors in difficult times.
  They fund USDA meat and poultry inspectors and FDA inspectors of all 
other food products so that the food on Americans' tables is safe and 
nutritious. It funds the CFTC and the Farm Credit Administration, so 
this bill affects our financial space.
  I cannot think of a funding subcommittee with as broad a reach as our 
bill has. A bill with such a broad reach deserves to have these 
programs adequately funded.
  However, the bill passed in our full committee markup only provided 
$17.8 billion in funding, which takes us back to the 2007 funding 
level.
  That is entirely inadequate for the needs of the American people, and 
it had no chance of being passed into law when it came out of 
committee.

[[Page H4507]]

  Unfortunately, rather than moving in a more productive direction, the 
majority used a procedural gimmick to impose even greater cuts of 69 
percent to the Food for Peace program and 14.2 percent to all other 
discretionary programs.
  Instead of improving the bill, the Rules Committee made it even 
worse. In total, the cuts to the bill have reduced funding 41 percent 
lower than last year. The bill before us today will take us back to 
2001 levels. That is totally irresponsible.
  The bill will harm rural America by taking money from programs 
supporting rural communities such as it cuts $500 million from the 
Rural Energy for America Program, the REAP program, and it eliminates 
grants under the program, which will raise the energy costs for over 
15,000 rural farmers and small businesses.
  It takes $1 billion from rural electric cooperatives, 900 
cooperatives that serve over 40 million people in 48 States.
  It slashes $800 million from the WIC program, which drastically also 
cuts the cash value voucher benefit for fruit and vegetable purchases, 
affecting nearly 5 million hungry women and children.
  It strips loan assistance needed by 100,000 economically distressed 
farmers, which could literally cost folks the family farm.
  It cuts rural development programs by over 40 percent, which means 
thousands of rural families will no longer be able to get a loan to 
afford a home.
  Hundreds of projects meant to provide clean water and wastewater 
systems will be eliminated, and thousands of families will not be able 
to turn on the tap and count on drinkable water.
  It completely guts the Food for Peace international food aid program. 
It cuts the McGovern-Dole program by 14 percent, which will further 
exacerbate the global hunger and instability and the risk of conflicts 
abroad, which will weaken American security.
  The bill also strips the Secretary, as you have heard, of 
discretionary use of the Commodity Credit Corporation funding.
  The CCC is a tool authorized by law to benefit our farmers and the 
thousands of church and community food banks that it helps to fund.
  No matter which party is in the White House, the only folks that 
suffer when any administration is not allowed to use the CCC at its 
discretion are our ag producers and American families.
  Our farmers benefited tremendously under the Trump administration 
when Secretary of Agriculture Perdue used the CCC to give our farmers 
relief from the trade wars with China.
  As I look at it, the path this bill has taken so far and the proposed 
amendments that we will see tonight would make it even worse.
  I ask myself for any farmers that are watching tonight who are trying 
to do what is best for their land, for their businesses and their 
family, what will they see?

                              {time}  2045

  For people in rural communities facing the challenges of providing 
clean water, affordable housing, and dependable utilities, what will 
they see?
  For those same communities trying to ensure that their law 
enforcement and first responders have the vehicles, the communications 
equipment, and the other resources they need to keep their rural 
communities safe, what will they see?
  For struggling families trying to put food on the table for their 
children, what will they see?
  Sadly, if those Americans are watching us tonight, what they will see 
is a majority which is focused on overriding medical science to take 
away a woman's freedom to control their own reproductive health 
choices, but not a majority focused on ensuring that those women and 
their children are able to afford food.
  They will see a majority that is focused on an undefined so-called 
critical race theory while pushing this bill to jeopardize the safety 
of our food and our medicine, slowing down our supply chain, and 
ironically, making these things harder to get and more expensive to 
buy.
  Make no mistake, the majority would have a person who is watching at 
home to believe that this bill fights against some undeserving citizens 
who don't need the help. The hard truth is that this bill is a nuclear 
bomb against the needs of every single American.
  The majority wants the people to be distracted by their culture war 
while they cut the crucial programs that every American depends on for 
the safest, the highest quality of affordable food, fiber, and medicine 
in the world. It appears that tonight we will see more amendments from 
the majority that further push the bill in a terribly harmful 
direction.
  It astonishes me that we are 4 days away from a government shutdown, 
yet we are not debating a bipartisan bill to keep the government open. 
Instead, we are debating an extreme messaging bill that does nothing to 
bring us closer to the bipartisan agreement we will need to eventually 
pass a 4-year government spending bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, and I look 
forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
craft a responsible bill that meets the needs of all Americans.
  Mr. Chairman, I thank my personal staff, including Tynesha Boomer, 
and the subcommittee staff, including Martha Foley, Alex Swann, and 
Tyler Coe for their hard work on this bill. I thank the majority staff 
for their efforts. I pray that the majority Members of Congress and the 
majority of Congress will have an epiphany and deliver a much better 
work product to the American people by the end of this funding process.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chairman, what is really harmful is a $2 trillion 
deficit, not the legislation before us.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Miller).
  Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support a vital 
amendment included within the bipartisan en bloc amendment to foster 
rural skills training and workforce development.
  The amendment that I offered with several of my colleagues would 
restore funding for one of USDA's primary rural skills and workforce 
programs, the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy, also known as the RISE 
Grant Program.
  As authorized in the 2018 farm bill, this workforce training 
initiative provides assistance to rural areas to establish job 
accelerators to cultivate the growth of high-wage jobs and support 
rural economies.
  Rural America and regions throughout the country face economic 
challenges that are compounded by a lack of access to training and 
workplace skills.
  This is an urgent issue that requires our attention; therefore, I 
urge all of my colleagues to support the amendment.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the 
Appropriations Committee.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food 
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill cuts 
funding for critical programs relied on by America's farmers, rural 
communities, and working families. This bill slashes loans and it 
weakens support for rural communities.
  This bill inserts government into the personal healthcare decisions 
by limiting women's access to abortion. Shamefully, it cuts assistance 
for the most vulnerable children and families.
  That we are debating this bill on September 26, 4 days before the end 
of the fiscal year, when House Republicans have provided no path 
forward to keep our government open, is as absurd as it is 
reprehensible.
  The House Republican plan demonstrates an inability and an 
unwillingness to govern. Rather than working to keep the lights on and 
ensuring Federal workers and servicemembers get paid, Republicans are 
pursuing a path explicitly designed to shut down the government.
  Republicans will claim to support farmers, but this bill makes it 
harder for small farmers to make ends meet. This bill will inflict 
increasing energy costs in rural communities, making it harder or 
impossible for farmers to get a loan, and making our food less safe.
  This bill takes away billions of dollars in investments from rural 
communities by gutting funding provided to

[[Page H4508]]

rural electric co-ops used to help support the long-term resiliency, 
reliability, and affordability of rural electric systems. These co-ops 
serve 92 percent of persistent poverty counties and power to over 21 
million businesses, homes, schools, and farms in 48 States.
  This bill cuts the Rural Energy for America Program, the REAP 
program, by over $500 million. It raises energy costs on 15,000 rural 
small businesses, and cuts farmers out of the green energy economy. It 
eliminates payments intended to serve as a financial lifeline for 
distressed farmers, which have already helped more than 20,000 
producers avoid going into foreclosure.
  This bill abandons the most vulnerable by slashing the Women, 
Infants, and Children, the WIC program, by $800 million. Some 4.6 
million women and children would also get severely reduced fruit and 
vegetable vouchers.
  I do not believe we should practice this so-called fiscal 
responsibility by taking food out of the mouths of moms and children. 
Republicans seek to sell their spending cuts to the American people by 
taking food from the most vulnerable.
  Finally, the majority has included shameful political riders in each 
of these appropriations bills that attack women and minorities and 
pander to various extreme rightwing issues, all while protecting 
billionaires and the biggest corporations.
  Republicans are determined to make abortion illegal nationally. An 
attachment to this bill would reverse the FDA decision to allow 
mifepristone to be dispensed in certified pharmacies to patients with a 
prescription from a certified prescriber, instead of only in hospitals, 
clinics, and medical offices.
  Mifepristone has been safely and legally used in the United States by 
over 5 million women since the FDA approved its use more than 20 years 
ago. This policy would overrule the established scientific process for 
FDA approval in order to restrict women's access to healthcare. My 
amendment to remove this rider was blocked.
  This bill is not serious, but it will, like the majority's shutdown, 
have serious consequences that will be borne by the American people. 
This bill is shameful, this bill is dangerous, and this bill leaves 
rural Americans, farmers, seniors, children, and hungry families 
behind.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I remind Americans, if they are watching, that we are not dealing 
with Monopoly money.
  Where are the ideas to solve a $2 trillion budget deficit?
  The President didn't have any. In fact, the President submitted a 
budget to Congress that never ever balanced and was supposed to have $1 
trillion deficits, but in fact, we had overspending in the so-called 
Inflation Reduction Act, which is one of the biggest misnomers we ever 
had in the history of Congress.
  The American people know, when you increase spending by hundreds and 
hundreds of billions of dollars, you increase inflation. You don't 
reduce it, you increase it. The fact of the matter is, our deficit is 
now $2 trillion, not $1 trillion.
  Mr. Chair, I am hoping to hear from the other side of the aisle: How 
do we pay for all of this?
  We have to borrow every single penny of this bill, and it has to be 
paid back by our children, our great-grandchildren--those are the 
facts. I know the facts are disturbing, but we have a $2 trillion 
deficit, and it is the House Republicans who are taking the responsible 
position in Washington and dealing with it.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, let me just say that we are in this deficit situation 
largely because we don't collect the revenue from the people who owe 
taxes, the wealthy millionaires and billionaires that the Republican 
majority is protecting by not funding enough agents to collect the 
money for the Internal Revenue Service so that we can fund the 
government.
  We wouldn't have the deficit that we have today were they willing to 
put sufficient agents on the job to be able to collect the money that 
is lawfully due. People should pay their taxes and they shouldn't 
protect those tax cheats.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. 
Pingree), the ranking member of the Interior, Environment, and Related 
Agencies Subcommittee, and a member of the Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
Subcommittee.
  Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chairman, I thank my good friend from Georgia for 
yielding me the time.
  I rise in opposition to this bill. This bill will hurt our farmers, 
it will hurt women and children, and it will hurt rural America. It 
provides $17.8 billion, the lowest level of funding for 16 years.
  This bill hurts our ability to fight the climate crisis by limiting 
the flexibility of the Credit Commodity Corporation that the USDA uses 
to give farmers the tools they need to respond to climate change.
  It slashes funds for climate hubs and climate research, following the 
hottest months ever recorded on Earth.
  It strips resources for the Rural Energy for America Program, which 
will make electricity more expensive for over 1,600 residents in my 
district. It zeros out funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and 
Innovative Production that handles composting and food waste. This 
means even more greenhouse gases will be released into our atmosphere.

  This bill includes language to prevent the USDA from implementing a 
rule to protect farmers and ranchers from anticompetitive behavior in 
the meat and poultry industry.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to be very clear about the cuts Republicans are 
making to WIC, the nutrition program for women, infants, and children. 
This bill cuts WIC by $800 million. This bill also slashes the 
available funds for families to buy fruits and vegetables. This bill 
cuts WIC fruit and vegetable benefits by 56 percent for children and up 
to 70 percent for women.
  Pregnant and postpartum participants would see their benefits drop 
from $44 to $13. That is $13. Anyone who has been grocery shopping in 
the past few months knows this is not enough--if you buy a bag of 
apples, some carrots, and onions, you spent your allotment for the 
month.
  Almost one-third of children in the United States don't consume 
enough fruit and vegetables daily, and almost half don't consume enough 
vegetables daily. This program is critical to address the disparities 
people face in assessing healthy food.
  At a time when food pantries in States like Maine are facing empty 
shelves, while they have huge increases in demand, I cannot fathom how 
Republicans can justify the cuts in this bill. Please vote against this 
bill.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, it is only in Washington that this can happen. Last 
year's bill, from the other side of the aisle when they were in the 
majority, funded WIC at $6.0 billion. This year's bill in front of us 
funds WIC at $6.0 billion. That is a slash, if you listen to the other 
side of the aisle.
  The average American is going: What? Wait a minute. We are funding it 
at exactly the same level as last year and they are accusing us of 
taking food out of the mouths of women, infants, and children.

                              {time}  2100

  This is the same level they did last year. That is what the American 
people can't stand about Washington. The average American understands 
that $6.0 billion last year is the same as $6.0 billion this year.
  All they see is a partisan struggle going on. They don't see 
Americans and the House of Representatives wanting to solve their 
problems.
  The price of food in the grocery store, the price of gas, the price 
of everything, the inflation, they don't want to solve the problem at 
the southern border. What they want to do is accuse us of slashing 
things when we fund it at exactly the same level.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the ranking member of the Energy 
and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and a member 
of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and

[[Page H4509]]

Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I thank Ranking Member Bishop for yielding 
time for me to oppose this quite unfortunate piece of legislation and 
quite harmful to agriculture.
  The majority can't produce a real farm bill, and they can't produce a 
budget on time. Now, this legislation today, as it stands, is riddled 
with divisive policy riders and detrimental funding cuts galore that 
will hurt American farmers and the American people.
  Republicans' efforts to slash funding by 41 percent across 
agriculture programs to 2000 levels cannot go unchecked. With the 
lowest funding in more than two decades, this bill weakens American 
competitiveness in the international marketplace and abandons our 
farmers.
  Our country already imports a third of our fresh fruits and 
vegetables. We need to produce those in our country because what 
America makes and grows, makes and grows America.
  Through this bill, Republicans also seek to starve the most exploited 
and vulnerable Americans of food, literally starve infants born to poor 
women by slashing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, 
Infants, and Children by $800 million, slashing hundreds of millions in 
farmers' procurement contracts in the process.
  Ohio has 179,262 WIC recipients, so if this bill would pass, many of 
these recipients--infants, toddlers, pregnant women, breastfeeding 
women, and postpartum women--will see their allotment drop to as little 
as, get ready, $11 per month or simply disappear entirely.
  A child's brain is largely formed by age 4 and its strength depends 
on what it eats. If you starve children, you permanently harm their 
ability to learn, and you impact them for life.
  The last thing I will mention is the majority's lack of concern for 
the exploitation of farmers. One of the many dangerous provisions in 
this bill is rolling back protections for farmers that prevent 
megacorporations from imposing debt servitude on farmers. This bill 
prohibits farmers from being protected from, and I quote, unfair, 
unjustly discriminatory, or deceptive business practices.
  The CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to 
the gentlewoman from Ohio.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, lack of enforcement of the 1921 Packers and 
Stockyards Act, along with unchecked corporate mergers, has allowed 
megacorporations, even foreign corporations, extreme power at the 
expense of our livestock producers and contract growers.
  This bill blocks fair competition. If we don't support our 
hardworking farmers, what is this bill supposed to be about? I urge my 
colleagues to vote ``no'' on this harmful, ill-considered piece of 
legislation.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I guess we are just going to have to be fact-checking all 
night long. Once again, the gentlewoman said that we are slashing $800 
million from the WIC program.
  Now, maybe this is new math. Maybe this is why our public schools are 
failing our children, but $6.0 billion this year, our amount, is 
exactly the same as the $6.0 billion last year--6.0 minus 6.0, for 
those of you watching on TV, take note, is exactly the same. It is not 
$800 million less.
  Now, I think I heard that we are taking this down to FY 2000 funding 
levels. Well, that is interesting because we just looked up the FY 2000 
funding levels, and the ag bill was funded at $14 billion. We are 
funding it at $25 billion. Now, again, this might be new math, 14 might 
be more than 25, maybe in some alternate universe. That is the way this 
government functions. It is in an alternate universe. It doesn't 
understand what every American family knows: Inflation is what our 
problem is. Inflation is driven by out-of-control government spending, 
by a $2 trillion deficit, and then we are accused of cutting spending 
to the FY 2000 levels. Again, for those who weren't paying attention 
the first time, FY 2000, look it up. It is easy. Google it--$14 
billion. Our bill, $25 billion.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Every time I hear Republicans talk, they are talking about the cost 
of everything going up. Assuming, which is not true, that the $6 
billion is the same as the last year, they say over and over and over 
how much the cost of living has gone up, how much more it costs to buy 
groceries. That is what they talk about every single day when they are 
not talking about what they want to slash.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Wasserman Schultz), the ranking member of the Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee and a hardworking 
member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this 
heartless bill which cuts nutrition assistance to mothers and children 
and needed relief to our hardworking farmers.

  If my Republican colleagues insist on preserving their tax cuts for 
the rich at all costs, please have the decency not to do it on the 
backs of women, children, and farmers.
  Yet, as cruel as these cuts are, it is enough to satisfy the small 
band of MAGA extremists now running this House. Republican leaders have 
caved to them again by adding harmful, divisive riders just to bring 
these bills for a vote. This legislation should have a toxic hazard 
warning on it.
  One rider blocks women from accessing mifepristone via telemedicine 
or the mail, even in States that allow it. This sneak attack on 
abortion medication would vastly restrict a woman's right to control 
her own body. Since it is so unpopular, of course, Republicans are 
adding this healthcare access barrier now in the dead of night.
  This isn't the only extreme rider on this bill. Instead of putting 
children and farmers first, this bill blocks the FDA from regulating 
nicotine standards.
  You are a doctor. That is shocking.
  It does this, mind you, despite scientific data showing that it will 
mean more addicted kids and fewer saved lives. In Florida alone, 32,300 
people die each year from smoking-related deaths. Instead of helping 
hungry children and struggling families, Republicans give handouts to 
big tobacco in this bill.
  Look, I know Americans are divided on many issues, but there is one 
thing we can all agree on: We do not take food assistance away from 
children, families, seniors, veterans, and the disabled that 
desperately rely on that funding. Yet this extremist MAGA bill does 
just that.
  Mr. Chairman, as an appropriator, I always echo the adage: Show me 
your budget, and I will show you what you really value.
  This bill exemplifies the ugliest of all values if it takes food from 
the mouths of the hungry, if it blocks women's reproductive care, and 
if it cuts funds to American farmers.
  For these reasons, I strongly urge my colleagues to reject these 
cold-hearted values and vote ``no'' on this bill.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I am going to fact check myself. Our budget, the bill that 
is coming to the floor is $22.5 billion, not $25 billion, but that is 
still a whole lot more than $14 billion.
  The toxic hazard is not this bill. Rather, it is a $2 trillion 
deficit and an open southern border. That is what the toxic hazard is, 
and we are not discussing that in Washington. We should be discussing 
it in Washington.
  Mr. Chair, I just have a question. Aren't the remarks supposed to be 
directed to the chair, the speaker's comments?
  The CHAIR. The gentleman is correct.
  Mr. HARRIS. Okay. I thought so. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I hope that the people who are watching tonight will take note of the 
fact that they don't have to take our word for it. The Congressional 
Budget Office has scored this bill, and they have

[[Page H4510]]

scored the manager's amendment. The gentleman says that the bill is $22 
billion. After the amendments that they are going to be offering on 
this bill tonight, CBO has scored it at $15.1 billion. It is clearly 
not what he is representing. After the manager's amendment, which is 
the first amendment that we will be considering tonight, the CBO has 
scored this bill at $15.1 billion, which is a drastic cut to the needs 
of the American people.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. 
Pocan), a member of the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. POCAN. Mr. Chair, I am in disbelief over the ridiculously low 
spending levels proposed by the Republicans in the Agriculture 
appropriations bill. They slashed funding to 2001 levels, funding from 
over 20 years ago. That is a 41 percent cut, $10 billion, to the people 
that feed America, our farmers.
  I don't see how any Member of Congress who represents rural America 
can show this much disrespect to their constituents. Certainly no 
Member from Wisconsin.
  Here are a few examples of what the bill does:
  It zeroes out the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives completely, 
from $25 million to nothing. That is assistance for new and growing 
dairy businesses that want to get products like milk and specialty 
cheeses to market.
  If you are an economically distressed farmer, of which, 
unfortunately, there are plenty, this strips assistance for 104,000 
farm loan borrowers.
  If you are a farmer who uses the Farm Service Agency for things like 
loans or disaster relief, this bill cuts FSA in addition to 
conservation programs like EQUIP that help farmers improve their 
operations and output.
  If you get energy assistance as a farmer, good luck with that. The 
REAP fund will be cut by over $500 million, making your energy costs go 
up in rural America.
  If you farm and supply food through international food programs, you 
are really out of luck because they cut it by $1.2 billion, a 69 
percent cut.
  With this level of cuts, I would assume this was a satire, a 
``Saturday Night Live'' episode, but it is just another Tuesday night 
in the U.S. Congress where farmers apparently aren't valued by the 
House Republican majority.
  No one who claims to support rural America could write or vote for an 
agricultural funding bill this bad. No one. I, for one, won't be 
supporting this kind of disrespect to the farmers in my district.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I guess it is fact-check time again for the American people. FY 2000 
was $14 billion. I think I demonstrated that 22.5 is more than 14. The 
gentleman says we are cutting it to FY 2001 levels. Well, Mr. Chair, 
that was $15 billion. Again, it might be new math, but when I went to 
school, I was taught that 15 was less than 22.5. No matter how many 
times you say it on the floor of this House, we are not cutting 
spending to FY 2001 levels. We are cutting them to pre-COVID levels 
because, Mr. Chair, the pandemic is over.

  The free-wheeling spending during the pandemic has to end. A $2 
trillion deficit and an open southern border are existential threats to 
this country, and the Republican House majority is dealing with it.
  Mr. Chair, I remind the body that the Senate is not controlled by 
Republicans, and they haven't passed a single appropriations bill to 
the floor. Now, we only passed one, but, again, when I went to school, 
one was more than none.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Budzinski).
  Ms. BUDZINSKI. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4368, which 
has been weaponized to further limit Americans' access to reproductive 
healthcare. Hidden in this bill is an attempt to reinstate medically 
unnecessary and outdated FDA policies that restrict access to 
mifepristone, a safe, effective drug used in medication abortion and 
miscarriage management care.
  From the courts to Congress, my colleagues in the majority are 
continuing their efforts to force burdensome restrictions that attack 
our fundamental freedoms to make our own decisions about our own 
bodies.

                              {time}  2115

  This funding bill is yet another example of political interference 
into the scientific review process entrusted to the FDA by Congress. It 
is a draconian attempt to strip away people's fundamental freedom to 
make their own decisions, make their own medical decisions, rejecting 
years of scientific and medical expertise and an extensive evidence-
based review that showed mifepristone to be incredibly safe.
  Mifepristone is safe and effective, and it is not the business of 
Congress to substitute political judgments for the judgments of the 
scientific and medical experts who determine FDA policy governing this 
medication.
  What is even more unfortunate is that this is just one of many 
problematic aspects of this bill. As a member of the House Committee on 
Agriculture, I could spend hours walking my colleagues through how 
cutting funding to 2003 levels leaves our farmers and working families 
behind.
  I know my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who sit on the 
Agriculture Committee with me do not view this to be a serious 
proposal. I challenge them to think long and hard about how they will 
communicate this to farmers back home before voting ``yes'' on this 
bill.
  For these reasons, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to 
recommit this bill back to committee.
  If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an 
important amendment to this bill. My amendment would strike the 
provisions rolling back FDA's guidance.
  Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of my amendment, and I 
hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit.

       Ms. Budzinski moves to recommit the bill H.R. 4368 to the 
     Committee on Appropriations with the following amendment:
       Page 109, beginning on line 1, strike section 761.

  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, first, it was that we are cutting it to FY 
2000 levels, then it was 2001 levels. Now, they raised the ante. It is 
FY 2003 levels. The FY 2003 funding level in this bill was $17.55 
billion. I will remind all the Americans watching that 17.5 is less 
than 22.5. In fact, we are $5 billion above that.
  We are not cutting spending to FY 2003 levels. Now, maybe the next 
speaker will suggest 2005, 2007. If they get to FY 2019, pre-COVID, 
yes, we are.
  The floor leader on the other side of the aisle said Republicans talk 
of everything going up. Mr. Chair, if that were true, if it were only 
Republicans that talk of everything going up, we would be getting 95 
percent of the vote in America because everybody is talking about 
everything going up. You can't go anywhere without someone saying they 
have to pay $4.80 a gallon for diesel, or they have to pay so much for 
milk, pay $2 for a loaf of bread that they used to pay $1.20 for.
  It is not Republicans talking about that. We are just listening to 
what Americans say. That is why we are returning spending to the pre-
COVID levels.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, over the past two decades, our 
country and the agriculture industry have grown. Our population has 
grown, yet this bill initially withdrew funding for America's 
agriculture, as you have heard, back to 2006 funding levels with an 
allocation of $17.1 billion, which is nearly $8 billion below last 
year's enacted bill.
  Sadly, we are here tonight with a bill that the majority made even 
worse this past weekend by gutting Congress' commitment to American 
farmers, producers, rural communities, and families to levels last seen 
in 2001. This bill keeps moving in the wrong direction.
  Also, many of the amendments that we will be debating tonight, which 
lower this allocation much lower than the American people need, will be 
an attempt to circumvent the ongoing negotiations in the House 
authorizing committee, the Agriculture Committee, which is working so 
desperately to get our farmers, our rural communities, and our lenders 
in America our 2023 farm bill, which is the blueprint that our farmers 
and our stakeholders need to plan for agriculture in America going 
forward.

[[Page H4511]]

  This will jeopardize the consensus that we hope to build and to pass 
for the 2023 farm bill.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to defeat this bill. Let's send it 
back to the committee, and let's begin to put together a better work 
product for the American people.
  This bill is a disgrace. It really does not rise to the level that 
the American people deserve. We have to continue to keep our farmers 
and Americans in a position to consume and produce the highest quality, 
the safest, the most abundant food and fiber anywhere, and to have the 
safest medications and medical devices.
  Mr. Chair, I urge us to defeat this. We need to do better, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, the Republicans were sent back to the majority 
this term of Congress to get things in order in Washington.
  Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the fiscal year 2024 
Agriculture appropriations bill, which returns to pre-COVID spending 
levels and starts us on a path to decreasing our Federal spending and 
decreasing inflation. That is what the American people want.
  This legislation does prioritize critical programs that support our 
Nation's farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.
  The bill importantly reins in Federal spending and regulatory 
overreach as well as includes a number of conservative policy victories 
to stop the Biden administration's woke agenda.
  Mr. Chair, again, I ask my colleagues to support the bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 
5-minute rule.
  The amendment printed in part E of House Report 118-216, shall be 
considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as 
read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4368

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for Agriculture, Rural 
     Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related 
     Agencies programs for fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, 
     and for other purposes, namely:

                                TITLE I

                         AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS

                  Processing, Research, and Marketing

                        Office of the Secretary

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary, 
     $41,072,000 of which not to exceed $5,051,000 shall be 
     available for the immediate Office of the Secretary; not to 
     exceed $1,578,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Homeland Security; not to exceed $2,215,000 shall be 
     available for the Office of Tribal Relations; not to exceed 
     $7,044,000 shall be available for the Office of Partnerships 
     and Public Engagement; not to exceed $21,315,000 shall be 
     available for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
     Administration, of which $20,440,000 shall be available for 
     Departmental Administration to provide for necessary expenses 
     for management support services to offices of the Department 
     and for general administration, security, repairs and 
     alterations, and other miscellaneous supplies and expenses 
     not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical 
     and efficient work of the Department:  Provided, That funds 
     made available by this Act to an agency in the Administration 
     mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund 
     up to one administrative support staff for the Office; and 
     not to exceed $3,869,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations and 
     Intergovernmental Affairs to carry out the programs funded by 
     this Act, including programs involving intergovernmental 
     affairs and liaison within the executive branch:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to 
     transfer funds appropriated for any office of the Office of 
     the Secretary to any other office of the Office of the 
     Secretary:  Provided further, That no appropriation for any 
     office shall be increased or decreased by more than 5 
     percent:  Provided further, That the amount made available 
     under this heading for Departmental Administration shall be 
     reimbursed from applicable appropriations in this Act for 
     travel expenses incident to the holding of hearings as 
     required by 5 U.S.C. 551-558:  Provided further, That funds 
     made available under this heading for the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations and 
     Intergovernmental Affairs shall be transferred to agencies of 
     the Department of Agriculture funded by this Act to maintain 
     personnel at the agency level:  Provided further, That no 
     funds made available under this heading for the Office of 
     Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations may be 
     obligated after 30 days from the date of enactment of this 
     Act, unless the Secretary has notified the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress on the allocation 
     of these funds by USDA agency:  Provided further, That during 
     any 30 day notification period referenced in section 716 of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall take no action 
     to begin implementation of the action that is subject to 
     section 716 of this Act or make any public announcement of 
     such action in any form.

                          Executive Operations

                     office of the chief economist

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief 
     Economist, $29,181,000, of which $8,000,000 shall be for 
     grants or cooperative agreements for policy research under 7 
     U.S.C. 3155:  Provided, That of the amounts made available 
     under this heading, $500,000 shall be available to carry out 
     section 224 of subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture 
     Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6924), as amended by 
     section 12504 of Public Law 115-334.

                     office of hearings and appeals

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Hearings and 
     Appeals, $16,173,000.

                 office of budget and program analysis

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and Program 
     Analysis, $11,337,000.

                Office of the Chief Information Officer

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief 
     Information Officer, $79,442,000, of which not less than 
     $66,731,000 is for cybersecurity requirements of the 
     department.

                 Office of the Chief Financial Officer

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Financial 
     Officer, $7,118,000.

           Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Assistant 
     Secretary for Civil Rights, $901,000:  Provided, That funds 
     made available by this Act to an agency in the Civil Rights 
     mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund 
     up to one administrative support staff for the Office.

                         Office of Civil Rights

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights, 
     $22,789,000.

               Office of Safety, Security, and Protection

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Safety, Security, 
     and Protection, $18,800,000.

                      Office of Inspector General

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General, 
     including employment pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 
     1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), $109,561,000, 
     including such sums as may be necessary for contracting and 
     other arrangements with public agencies and private persons 
     pursuant to section 6(a)(9) of the Inspector General Act of 
     1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), and including not to 
     exceed $125,000 for certain confidential operational 
     expenses, including the payment of informants, to be expended 
     under the direction of the Inspector General pursuant to the 
     Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. 
     App.) and section 1337 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 
     1981 (Public Law 97-98).

                     Office of the General Counsel

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the General 
     Counsel, $44,408,000.

                            Office of Ethics

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Ethics, $4,277,000.

  Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary 
     for Research, Education, and Economics, $1,800,000:  
     Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency 
     in the Research, Education, and Economics mission area for 
     salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one 
     administrative support staff for the Office:  Provided 
     further, That of the amounts made available under this 
     heading, $1,000,000 shall be made available for the Office of 
     the Chief Scientist.

                       Economic Research Service

       For necessary expenses of the Economic Research Service, 
     $90,612,000.

                National Agricultural Statistics Service

       For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural 
     Statistics Service, $187,513,000, of which up to $46,850,000 
     shall be available until expended for the Census of 
     Agriculture:  Provided, That amounts made available for the 
     Census of Agriculture may be used to conduct Current 
     Industrial Report surveys subject to 7 U.S.C. 2204g(d) and 
     (f).

                     Agricultural Research Service

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Research Service 
     and for acquisition of lands by donation, exchange, or 
     purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100,000 and with 
     prior notification and approval of the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, and for land 
     exchanges where the lands exchanged shall be of equal value 
     or shall be equalized by a payment of money to the grantor 
     which shall not exceed 25 percent of the total value of the 
     land or interests transferred out of Federal ownership, 
     $1,745,542,000:  Provided, That appropriations hereunder 
     shall be available for the operation and maintenance of 
     aircraft and the purchase of not to exceed one for 
     replacement only:  Provided further, That appropriations 
     hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for 
     the construction, alteration, and repair of buildings and 
     improvements, but unless otherwise provided, the

[[Page H4512]]

     cost of constructing any one building shall not exceed 
     $500,000, except for headhouses or greenhouses which shall 
     each be limited to $1,800,000, except for 10 buildings to be 
     constructed or improved at a cost not to exceed $1,100,000 
     each, and except for four buildings to be constructed at a 
     cost not to exceed $5,000,000 each, and the cost of altering 
     any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 
     percent of the current replacement value of the building or 
     $500,000, whichever is greater:  Provided further, That 
     appropriations hereunder shall be available for entering into 
     lease agreements at any Agricultural Research Service 
     location for the construction of a research facility by a 
     non-Federal entity for use by the Agricultural Research 
     Service and a condition of the lease shall be that any 
     facility shall be owned, operated, and maintained by the non-
     Federal entity and shall be removed upon the expiration or 
     termination of the lease agreement:  Provided further, That 
     the limitations on alterations contained in this Act shall 
     not apply to modernization or replacement of existing 
     facilities at Beltsville, Maryland:  Provided further, That 
     appropriations hereunder shall be available for granting 
     easements at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center:  
     Provided further, That the foregoing limitations shall not 
     apply to replacement of buildings needed to carry out the Act 
     of April 24, 1948 (21 U.S.C. 113a):  Provided further, That 
     appropriations hereunder shall be available for granting 
     easements at any Agricultural Research Service location for 
     the construction of a research facility by a non-Federal 
     entity for use by, and acceptable to, the Agricultural 
     Research Service and a condition of the easements shall be 
     that upon completion the facility shall be accepted by the 
     Secretary, subject to the availability of funds herein, if 
     the Secretary finds that acceptance of the facility is in the 
     interest of the United States:  Provided further, That funds 
     may be received from any State, other political subdivision, 
     organization, or individual for the purpose of establishing 
     or operating any research facility or research project of the 
     Agricultural Research Service, as authorized by law.

                        buildings and facilities

       For the acquisition of land, construction, repair, 
     improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed 
     equipment or facilities as necessary to carry out the 
     agricultural research programs of the Department of 
     Agriculture, where not otherwise provided, up to $16,700,000 
     to remain available until expended, shall be for the 
     purposes, and in the amounts, specified for this account in 
     the table titled ``Community Project Funding'' in the report 
     accompanying this Act.

               National Institute of Food and Agriculture

                   research and education activities

       For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for 
     cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and 
     for other expenses, $1,085,221,000 which shall be for the 
     purposes, and in the amounts, specified in the table titled 
     ``National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Research and 
     Education Activities'' in the report accompanying this Act:  
     Provided, That funds for research grants for 1994 
     institutions, education grants for 1890 institutions, 
     Hispanic serving institutions education grants, capacity 
     building for non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, the 
     agriculture and food research initiative, veterinary medicine 
     loan repayment, multicultural scholars, graduate fellowship 
     and institution challenge grants, grants management systems, 
     tribal colleges education equity grants, and scholarships at 
     1890 institutions shall remain available until expended:  
     Provided further, That each institution eligible to receive 
     funds under the Evans-Allen program receives no less than 
     $1,000,000:  Provided further, That funds for education 
     grants for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving 
     institutions be made available to individual eligible 
     institutions or consortia of eligible institutions with funds 
     awarded equally to each of the States of Alaska and Hawaii:  
     Provided further, That funds for providing grants for food 
     and agricultural sciences for Alaska Native and Native 
     Hawaiian-Serving institutions and for Insular Areas shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2025:  Provided further, 
     That funds for education grants for 1890 institutions shall 
     be made available to institutions eligible to receive funds 
     under 7 U.S.C. 3221 and 3222:  Provided further, That not 
     more than 5 percent of the amounts made available by this or 
     any other Act to carry out the Agriculture and Food Research 
     Initiative under 7 U.S.C. 3157 may be retained by the 
     Secretary of Agriculture to pay administrative costs incurred 
     by the Secretary in carrying out that authority.

              native american institutions endowment fund

       For the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund 
     authorized by Public Law 103-382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), 
     $11,880,000, to remain available until expended.

                          extension activities

       For payments to States, the District of Columbia, Puerto 
     Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Micronesia, the Northern 
     Marianas, and American Samoa, $564,860,000 which shall be for 
     the purposes, and in the amounts, specified in the table 
     titled ``National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 
     Extension Activities'' in the report accompanying this Act:  
     Provided, That funds for extension services at 1994 
     institutions and for facility improvements at 1890 
     institutions shall remain available until expended:  Provided 
     further, That institutions eligible to receive funds under 7 
     U.S.C. 3221 for cooperative extension receive no less than 
     $1,000,000:  Provided further, That funds for cooperative 
     extension under sections 3(b) and (c) of the Smith-Lever Act 
     (7 U.S.C. 343(b) and (c)) and section 208(c) of Public Law 
     93-471 shall be available for retirement and employees' 
     compensation costs for extension agents.

                         integrated activities

       For the integrated research, education, and extension 
     grants programs, including necessary administrative expenses, 
     $41,500,000, which shall be for the purposes, and in the 
     amounts, specified in the table titled ``National Institute 
     of Food and Agriculture, Integrated Activities'' in the 
     report accompanying this Act:  Provided, That funds for the 
     Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative shall remain 
     available until September 30, 2025:  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, indirect costs 
     shall not be charged against any Extension Implementation 
     Program Area grant awarded under the Crop Protection/Pest 
     Management Program (7 U.S.C. 7626).

  Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary 
     for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, $800,000:  Provided, 
     That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the 
     Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area for salaries 
     and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative 
     support staff for the Office.

               Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Animal and Plant Health 
     Inspection Service, including up to $30,000 for 
     representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to the 
     Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4085), $1,168,964,000; 
     of which $514,000, to remain available until expended, shall 
     be available for the control of outbreaks of insects, plant 
     diseases, animal diseases and for control of pest animals and 
     birds (``contingency fund'') to the extent necessary to meet 
     emergency conditions; of which $15,450,000, to remain 
     available until expended, shall be used for the cotton pests 
     program, including for cost share purposes or for debt 
     retirement for active eradication zones; of which 
     $49,683,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for 
     Animal Health Technical Services; of which $3,096,000 shall 
     be for activities under the authority of the Horse Protection 
     Act of 1970, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1831); of which 
     $67,430,000, to remain available until expended, shall be 
     used to support avian health; of which $4,251,000, to remain 
     available until expended, shall be for information technology 
     infrastructure; of which $224,521,000, to remain available 
     until expended, shall be for specialty crop pests; of which, 
     $13,637,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for 
     field crop and rangeland ecosystem pests; of which 
     $21,567,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for 
     zoonotic disease management; of which $44,617,000, to remain 
     available until expended, shall be for emergency preparedness 
     and response; of which $55,562,000, to remain available until 
     expended, shall be for tree and wood pests; of which 
     $6,500,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for 
     the National Veterinary Stockpile; of which up to $1,500,000, 
     to remain available until expended, shall be for the scrapie 
     program for indemnities; of which $2,500,000, to remain 
     available until expended, shall be for the wildlife damage 
     management program for aviation safety:  Provided, That of 
     amounts available under this heading for wildlife services 
     methods development, $1,000,000 shall remain available until 
     expended:  Provided further, That of amounts available under 
     this heading for the screwworm program, $4,990,000 shall 
     remain available until expended; of which $24,527,000, to 
     remain available until expended, shall be used to carry out 
     the science program and transition activities for the 
     National Bio and Agro-defense Facility located in Manhattan, 
     Kansas:  Provided further, That no funds shall be used to 
     formulate or administer a brucellosis eradication program for 
     the current fiscal year that does not require minimum 
     matching by the States of at least 40 percent:  Provided 
     further, That this appropriation shall be available for the 
     purchase, replacement, operation, and maintenance of 
     aircraft:  Provided further, That in addition, in emergencies 
     which threaten any segment of the agricultural production 
     industry of the United States, the Secretary may transfer 
     from other appropriations or funds available to the agencies 
     or corporations of the Department such sums as may be deemed 
     necessary, to be available only in such emergencies for the 
     arrest and eradication of contagious or infectious disease or 
     pests of animals, poultry, or plants, and for expenses in 
     accordance with sections 10411 and 10417 of the Animal Health 
     Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310 and 8316) and sections 431 and 
     442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7751 and 7772), and 
     any unexpended balances of funds transferred for such 
     emergency purposes in the preceding fiscal year shall be 
     merged with such transferred amounts:  Provided further, That 
     appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to law 
     (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the repair and alteration of leased 
     buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise provided the 
     cost of altering any one building

[[Page H4513]]

     during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the 
     current replacement value of the building.
       In fiscal year 2024, the agency is authorized to collect 
     fees to cover the total costs of providing technical 
     assistance, goods, or services requested by States, other 
     political subdivisions, domestic and international 
     organizations, foreign governments, or individuals, provided 
     that such fees are structured such that any entity's 
     liability for such fees is reasonably based on the technical 
     assistance, goods, or services provided to the entity by the 
     agency, and such fees shall be reimbursed to this account, to 
     remain available until expended, without further 
     appropriation, for providing such assistance, goods, or 
     services.

                     Agricultural Marketing Service

                           marketing services

       For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Marketing 
     Service, $184,668,000, of which $5,004,000 shall be available 
     for the purposes of section 12306 of Public Law 113-79:  
     Provided, That this appropriation shall be available pursuant 
     to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair of 
     buildings and improvements, but the cost of altering any one 
     building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent 
     of the current replacement value of the building.
       Fees may be collected for the cost of standardization 
     activities, as established by regulation pursuant to law (31 
     U.S.C. 9701), except for the cost of activities relating to 
     the development or maintenance of grain standards under the 
     United States Grain Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.

                 limitation on administrative expenses

       Not to exceed $62,596,000 (from fees collected) shall be 
     obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative 
     expenses:  Provided, That if crop size is understated and/or 
     other uncontrollable events occur, the agency may exceed this 
     limitation by up to 10 percent with notification to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

    funds for strengthening markets, income, and supply (section 32)

                     (including transfers of funds)

       Funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 
     1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c), shall be used only for commodity 
     program expenses as authorized therein, and other related 
     operating expenses, except for: (1) transfers to the 
     Department of Commerce as authorized by the Fish and Wildlife 
     Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.); (2) transfers otherwise 
     provided in this Act; and (3) not more than $21,501,000 for 
     formulation and administration of marketing agreements and 
     orders pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act 
     of 1937 and the Agricultural Act of 1961 (Public Law 87-128).

                   payments to states and possessions

       For payments to departments of agriculture, bureaus and 
     departments of markets, and similar agencies for marketing 
     activities under section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing 
     Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1623(b)), $1,235,000.

        limitation on inspection and weighing services expenses

       Not to exceed $55,000,000 (from fees collected) shall be 
     obligated during the current fiscal year for inspection and 
     weighing services:  Provided, That if grain export activities 
     require additional supervision and oversight, or other 
     uncontrollable factors occur, this limitation may be exceeded 
     by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

             Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary 
     for Food Safety, $800,000:  Provided, That funds made 
     available by this Act to an agency in the Food Safety mission 
     area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to 
     one administrative support staff for the Office.

                   Food Safety and Inspection Service

       For necessary expenses to carry out services authorized by 
     the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products 
     Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act, 
     including not to exceed $10,000 for representation allowances 
     and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved 
     August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $1,197,067,000; and in 
     addition, $1,000,000 may be credited to this account from 
     fees collected for the cost of laboratory accreditation as 
     authorized by section 1327 of the Food, Agriculture, 
     Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 138f):  
     Provided, That funds provided for the Public Health Data 
     Communication Infrastructure system shall remain available 
     until expended:  Provided further, That no fewer than 148 
     full-time equivalent positions shall be employed during 
     fiscal year 2024 for purposes dedicated solely to inspections 
     and enforcement related to the Humane Methods of Slaughter 
     Act (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.):  Provided further, That this 
     appropriation shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 
     2250) for the alteration and repair of buildings and 
     improvements, but the cost of altering any one building 
     during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10 percent of the 
     current replacement value of the building.

                                TITLE II

               FARM PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

   Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary 
     for Farm Production and Conservation, $901,000:  Provided, 
     That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the 
     Farm Production and Conservation mission area for salaries 
     and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative 
     support staff for the Office.

            Farm Production and Conservation Business Center

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Farm Production and 
     Conservation Business Center, $231,302,000:  Provided, That 
     $60,228,000 of amounts appropriated for the current fiscal 
     year pursuant to section 1241(a) of the Farm Security and 
     Rural Investment Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)) shall be 
     transferred to and merged with this account.

                          Farm Service Agency

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Farm Service Agency, 
     $1,215,307,000, of which not less than $15,000,000 shall be 
     for the hiring of new employees to fill vacancies and 
     anticipated vacancies at Farm Service Agency county offices 
     and farm loan officers and shall be available until September 
     30, 2025:  Provided, That not more than 50 percent of the 
     funding made available under this heading for information 
     technology related to farm program delivery may be obligated 
     until the Secretary submits to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, and receives 
     written or electronic notification of receipt from such 
     Committees of, a plan for expenditure that (1) identifies for 
     each project/investment over $25,000 (a) the functional and 
     performance capabilities to be delivered and the mission 
     benefits to be realized, (b) the estimated lifecycle cost for 
     the entirety of the project/investment, including estimates 
     for development as well as maintenance and operations, and 
     (c) key milestones to be met; (2) demonstrates that each 
     project/investment is, (a) consistent with the Farm Service 
     Agency Information Technology Roadmap, (b) being managed in 
     accordance with applicable lifecycle management policies and 
     guidance, and (c) subject to the applicable Department's 
     capital planning and investment control requirements; and (3) 
     has been reviewed by the Government Accountability Office and 
     approved by the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 
     of Congress:  Provided further, That the agency shall submit 
     a report by the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 
     to the Committees on Appropriations and the Government 
     Accountability Office, that identifies for each project/
     investment that is operational (a) current performance 
     against key indicators of customer satisfaction, (b) current 
     performance of service level agreements or other technical 
     metrics, (c) current performance against a pre-established 
     cost baseline, (d) a detailed breakdown of current and 
     planned spending on operational enhancements or upgrades, and 
     (e) an assessment of whether the investment continues to meet 
     business needs as intended as well as alternatives to the 
     investment:  Provided further, That the Secretary is 
     authorized to use the services, facilities, and authorities 
     (but not the funds) of the Commodity Credit Corporation to 
     make program payments for all programs administered by the 
     Agency:  Provided further, That other funds made available to 
     the Agency for authorized activities may be advanced to and 
     merged with this account:  Provided further, That of the 
     amount appropriated under this heading, $696,594,000 shall be 
     made available to county committees, to remain available 
     until expended:  Provided further, That, notwithstanding the 
     preceding proviso, any funds made available to county 
     committees in the current fiscal year that the Administrator 
     of the Farm Service Agency deems to exceed or not meet the 
     amount needed for the county committees may be transferred to 
     or from the Farm Service Agency for necessary expenses:  
     Provided further, That none of the funds available to the 
     Farm Service Agency shall be used to close Farm Service 
     Agency county offices:  Provided further, That none of the 
     funds available to the Farm Service Agency shall be used to 
     permanently relocate county based employees that would result 
     in an office with two or fewer employees without prior 
     notification and approval of the Committees on Appropriations 
     of both Houses of Congress.

                         state mediation grants

       For grants pursuant to section 502(b) of the Agricultural 
     Credit Act of 1987, as amended (7 U.S.C. 5101-5106), 
     $6,000,000.

               grassroots source water protection program

       For necessary expenses to carry out wellhead or groundwater 
     protection activities under section 1240O of the Food 
     Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-2), $7,500,000, to 
     remain available until expended.

                        dairy indemnity program

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses involved in making indemnity 
     payments to dairy farmers and manufacturers of dairy products 
     under a dairy indemnity program, such sums as may be 
     necessary, to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That such program is carried out by the Secretary in the same 
     manner as the dairy indemnity program described in the 
     Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, 
     and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 
     106-387, 114 Stat. 1549A-12).

[[Page H4514]]

  


           agricultural credit insurance fund program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct 
     and guaranteed farm ownership (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.) and 
     operating (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.) loans, emergency loans (7 
     U.S.C. 1961 et seq.), Indian tribe land acquisition loans (25 
     U.S.C. 5136), boll weevil loans (7 U.S.C. 1989), guaranteed 
     conservation loans (7 U.S.C. 1924 et seq.), relending program 
     (7 U.S.C. 1936c), and Indian highly fractionated land loans 
     (25 U.S.C. 5136) to be available from funds in the 
     Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund, as follows: 
     $3,500,000,000 for guaranteed farm ownership loans and 
     $3,100,000,000 for farm ownership direct loans; 
     $2,118,491,000 for unsubsidized guaranteed operating loans 
     and $1,633,000,000 for direct operating loans; emergency 
     loans, $37,667,000; Indian tribe land acquisition loans, 
     $20,000,000; guaranteed conservation loans, $150,000,000; 
     relending program, $61,426,000; Indian highly fractionated 
     land loans, $5,000,000; and for boll weevil eradication 
     program loans, $60,000,000:  Provided, That the Secretary 
     shall deem the pink bollworm to be a boll weevil for the 
     purpose of boll weevil eradication program loans.
       For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans and grants, 
     including the cost of modifying loans as defined in section 
     502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: 
     $3,507,000 for emergency loans, to remain available until 
     expended; and $27,598,000 for direct farm operating loans, 
     $1,483,000 for unsubsidized guaranteed farm operating loans, 
     $19,368,000 for the relending program,$1,577,000 for Indian 
     highly fractionated land loans, and $258,000 for boll weevil 
     eradication program loans.
       In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry 
     out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $326,053,000:  
     Provided, That of this amount, $305,803,000 shall be 
     transferred to and merged with the appropriation for ``Farm 
     Service Agency, Salaries and Expenses''.
       Funds appropriated by this Act to the Agricultural Credit 
     Insurance Program Account for farm ownership, operating and 
     conservation direct loans and guaranteed loans may be 
     transferred among these programs:  Provided, That the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are 
     notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

                         Risk Management Agency

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Risk Management Agency, 
     $63,637,000:  Provided, That $1,000,000 of the amount 
     appropriated under this heading in this Act shall be 
     available for compliance and integrity activities required 
     under section 516(b)(2)(C) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act 
     of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1516(b)(2)(C)), and shall be in addition to 
     amounts otherwise provided for such purpose:  Provided 
     further, That not to exceed $1,000 shall be available for 
     official reception and representation expenses, as authorized 
     by 7 U.S.C. 1506(i).

                 Natural Resources Conservation Service

                        conservation operations

       For necessary expenses for carrying out the provisions of 
     the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), including 
     preparation of conservation plans and establishment of 
     measures to conserve soil and water (including farm 
     irrigation and land drainage and such special measures for 
     soil and water management as may be necessary to prevent 
     floods and the siltation of reservoirs and to control 
     agricultural related pollutants); operation of conservation 
     plant materials centers; classification and mapping of soil; 
     dissemination of information; acquisition of lands, water, 
     and interests therein for use in the plant materials program 
     by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to 
     exceed $100 pursuant to the Act of August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 
     2268a); purchase and erection or alteration or improvement of 
     permanent and temporary buildings; and operation and 
     maintenance of aircraft, $911,399,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2025, of which up to $18,748,000, to 
     remain available until expended, shall be for the purposes, 
     and in the amounts, specified for this account in the table 
     titled ``Community Project Funding'' in the report 
     accompanying this Act:  Provided further, That appropriations 
     hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for 
     construction and improvement of buildings and public 
     improvements at plant materials centers, except that the cost 
     of alterations and improvements to other buildings and other 
     public improvements shall not exceed $250,000:  Provided 
     further, That when buildings or other structures are erected 
     on non-Federal land, that the right to use such land is 
     obtained as provided in 7 U.S.C. 2250a.

                              CORPORATIONS

       The following corporations and agencies are hereby 
     authorized to make expenditures, within the limits of funds 
     and borrowing authority available to each such corporation or 
     agency and in accord with law, and to make contracts and 
     commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as 
     provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control 
     Act as may be necessary in carrying out the programs set 
     forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for such 
     corporation or agency, except as hereinafter provided.

                Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund

       For payments as authorized by section 516 of the Federal 
     Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1516), such sums as may be 
     necessary, to remain available until expended.

                   Commodity Credit Corporation Fund

                 reimbursement for net realized losses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary 
     to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for net 
     realized losses sustained, but not previously reimbursed, 
     pursuant to section 2 of the Act of August 17, 1961 (15 
     U.S.C. 713a-11):  Provided, That of the funds available to 
     the Commodity Credit Corporation under section 11 of the 
     Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i) for 
     the conduct of its business with the Foreign Agricultural 
     Service, up to $5,000,000 may be transferred to and used by 
     the Foreign Agricultural Service for information resource 
     management activities of the Foreign Agricultural Service 
     that are not related to Commodity Credit Corporation 
     business:  Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify 
     the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate in 
     writing 15 days prior to the obligation or commitment of any 
     emergency funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation.

                       hazardous waste management

                        (limitation on expenses)

       For the current fiscal year, the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation shall not expend more than $15,000,000 for site 
     investigation and cleanup expenses, and operations and 
     maintenance expenses to comply with the requirement of 
     section 107(g) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
     Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9607(g)), and 
     section 6001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 
     6961).

                               TITLE III

                       RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

          Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary 
     for Rural Development, $800,000:  Provided, That funds made 
     available by this Act to an agency in the Rural Development 
     mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund 
     up to one administrative support staff for the Office.

                           Rural Development

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration 
     and implementation of Rural Development programs, including 
     activities with institutions concerning the development and 
     operation of agricultural cooperatives; and for cooperative 
     agreements; $331,087,000: Provided further, That of the 
     amount made available under this heading, no less than 
     $75,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for 
     information technology expenses.  Provided, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds 
     appropriated under this heading may be used for advertising 
     and promotional activities that support Rural Development 
     programs:  Provided further, That in addition to any other 
     funds appropriated for purposes authorized by section 502(i) 
     of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(i)), any amounts 
     collected under such section, as amended by this Act, will 
     immediately be credited to this account and will remain 
     available until expended for such purposes.

                         Rural Housing Service

              rural housing insurance fund program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct 
     and guaranteed loans as authorized by title V of the Housing 
     Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing 
     insurance fund, as follows: $880,691,000 shall be for Section 
     502 direct loans; $5,000,000 for a Single Family Housing 
     Relending demonstration program for Native American Tribes; 
     and $30,000,000,000 for Section 502 unsubsidized guaranteed 
     loans; $25,000,000 for section 504 housing repair loans; 
     $60,000,000 for section 515 rental housing; $400,000,000 for 
     section 538 guaranteed multi-family housing loans; 
     $10,000,000 for credit sales of single family housing 
     acquired property; $5,000,000 for section 523 self-help 
     housing land development loans; and $5,000,000 for section 
     524 site development loans.
       For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, including the 
     cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows: section 502 
     loans, $86,660,000 shall be for direct loans; Single Family 
     Housing Relending demonstration program for Native American 
     Tribes, $2,288,000; section 504 housing repair loans, 
     $4,337,000; section 523 self-help housing land development 
     loans, $637,000; section 524 site development loans, 
     $477,000; and repair, rehabilitation, and new construction of 
     section 515 rental housing, $20,998,000:  Provided, That to 
     support the loan program level for section 538 guaranteed 
     loans made available under this heading the Secretary may 
     charge or adjust any fees to cover the projected cost of such 
     loan guarantees pursuant to the provisions of the Credit 
     Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), and the interest 
     on such loans may not be subsidized:  Provided further, That 
     applicants in communities that have a current rural area 
     waiver under section 541 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 
     U.S.C. 1490q) shall be treated as living in a rural area for 
     purposes of section 502 guaranteed loans provided under this 
     heading:  Provided further, That of the amounts available 
     under this paragraph for section 502 direct loans, no less 
     than $5,000,000 shall be available for direct loans for 
     individuals whose homes will be built pursuant to a program 
     funded with a

[[Page H4515]]

     mutual and self-help housing grant authorized by section 523 
     of the Housing Act of 1949 until June 1, 2024:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary shall implement provisions to 
     provide incentives to nonprofit organizations and public 
     housing authorities to facilitate the acquisition of Rural 
     Housing Service (RHS) multifamily housing properties by such 
     nonprofit organizations and public housing authorities that 
     commit to keep such properties in the RHS multifamily housing 
     program for a period of time as determined by the Secretary, 
     with such incentives to include, but not be limited to, the 
     following: allow such nonprofit entities and public housing 
     authorities to earn a Return on Investment on their own 
     resources to include proceeds from low income housing tax 
     credit syndication, own contributions, grants, and developer 
     loans at favorable rates and terms, invested in a deal; and 
     allow reimbursement of organizational costs associated with 
     owner's oversight of asset referred to as ``Asset Management 
     Fee'' of up to $7,500 per property.
       In addition, for the cost of direct loans and grants, 
     including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 
     502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, $34,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended, for a demonstration program 
     for the preservation and revitalization of the sections 514, 
     515, and 516 multi-family rental housing properties to 
     restructure existing USDA multi-family housing loans, as the 
     Secretary deems appropriate, expressly for the purposes of 
     ensuring the project has sufficient resources to preserve the 
     project for the purpose of providing safe and affordable 
     housing for low-income residents and farm laborers including 
     reducing or eliminating interest; deferring loan payments, 
     subordinating, reducing or re-amortizing loan debt; and other 
     financial assistance including advances, payments and 
     incentives (including the ability of owners to obtain 
     reasonable returns on investment) required by the Secretary:  
     Provided, That the Secretary shall, as part of the 
     preservation and revitalization agreement, obtain a 
     restrictive use agreement consistent with the terms of the 
     restructuring.
       In addition, for the cost of direct loans, grants, and 
     contracts, as authorized by sections 514 and 516 of the 
     Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484, 1486), $9,525,000, to 
     remain available until expended, for direct farm labor 
     housing loans and domestic farm labor housing grants and 
     contracts.
       In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry 
     out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $412,254,000 
     shall be paid to the appropriation for ``Rural Development, 
     Salaries and Expenses''.

                       rental assistance program

       For rental assistance agreements entered into or renewed 
     pursuant to the authority under section 521(a)(2) of the 
     Housing Act of 1949 or agreements entered into in lieu of 
     debt forgiveness or payments for eligible households as 
     authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of 
     1949, $1,606,926,000, and in addition such sums as may be 
     necessary, as authorized by section 521(c) of the Act, to 
     liquidate debt incurred prior to fiscal year 1992 to carry 
     out the rental assistance program under section 521(a)(2) of 
     the Act:  Provided, That rental assistance agreements entered 
     into or renewed during the current fiscal year shall be 
     funded for a one-year period:  Provided further, That upon 
     request by an owner of a project financed by an existing loan 
     under section 514 or 515 of the Act, the Secretary may renew 
     the rental assistance agreement for a period of 20 years or 
     until the term of such loan has expired, subject to annual 
     appropriations:  Provided further, That any unexpended 
     balances remaining at the end of such one-year agreements may 
     be transferred and used for purposes of any debt reduction, 
     maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation of any existing 
     projects; preservation; and rental assistance activities 
     authorized under title V of the Act:  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of the Act, the Secretary 
     may recapture rental assistance provided under agreements 
     entered into prior to fiscal year 2024 for a project the 
     Secretary determines no longer needs rental assistance and 
     use such recaptured funds for current needs: Provided 
     further, That such recaptured funds shall remain available 
     for obligation in fiscal year 2024 for the purposes specified 
     under the heading:  Provided further, That such recaptured 
     rental assistance shall, to the extent practicable, be 
     applied to another farm labor multi-family housing project 
     financed under section 514 or 516 of the Act.

                     rural housing voucher account

       For the rural housing voucher program as authorized under 
     section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949, but notwithstanding 
     subsection (b) of such section, $48,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That the funds made 
     available under this heading shall be available for rural 
     housing vouchers to any low-income household (including those 
     not receiving rental assistance) residing in a property 
     financed with a section 515 loan which has been prepaid or 
     otherwise paid off after September 30, 2005:  Provided 
     further, That the amount of such voucher shall be the 
     difference between comparable market rent for the section 515 
     unit and the tenant paid rent for such unit:  Provided 
     further, That funds made available for such vouchers shall be 
     subject to the availability of annual appropriations:  
     Provided further, That the Secretary shall, to the maximum 
     extent practicable, administer such vouchers with current 
     regulations and administrative guidance applicable to section 
     8 housing vouchers administered by the Secretary of the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development:  Provided 
     further, That in addition to any other available funds, the 
     Secretary may expend not more than $1,000,000 total, from the 
     program funds made available under this heading, for 
     administrative expenses for activities funded under this 
     heading.

                  mutual and self-help housing grants

       For grants and contracts pursuant to section 523(b)(1)(A) 
     of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490c), $25,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended.

                    rural housing assistance grants

       For grants for very low-income housing repair and rural 
     housing preservation made by the Rural Housing Service, as 
     authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1474, and 1490m, $35,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended.

               rural community facilities program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct 
     and guaranteed loans as authorized by section 306 and 
     described in section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and 
     Rural Development Act, $2,800,000,000 for direct loans and 
     $650,000,000 for guaranteed loans.
       For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees and grants, 
     including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 
     502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, for rural 
     community facilities programs as authorized by section 306 
     and described in section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm 
     and Rural Development Act, $327,636,000, to remain available 
     until expended, of which up to $312,037,648 shall be for the 
     purposes, and in the amounts, specified for this account in 
     the table titled ``Community Project Funding'' in the report 
     accompanying this Act:  Provided, That $5,000,000 of the 
     amount appropriated under this heading shall be available for 
     a Rural Community Development Initiative:  Provided further, 
     That such funds shall be used solely to develop the capacity 
     and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and 
     community development organizations, low-income rural 
     communities, and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes 
     to undertake projects to improve housing, community 
     facilities, community and economic development projects in 
     rural areas:  Provided further, That such funds shall be made 
     available to qualified private, nonprofit and public 
     intermediary organizations proposing to carry out a program 
     of financial and technical assistance:  Provided further, 
     That such intermediary organizations shall provide matching 
     funds from other sources, including Federal funds for related 
     activities, in an amount not less than funds provided:  
     Provided further, That any unobligated balances from prior 
     year appropriations under this heading for the cost of direct 
     loans, loan guarantees and grants, including amounts 
     deobligated or cancelled, may be made available to cover the 
     subsidy costs for direct loans and or loan guarantees under 
     this heading in this fiscal year:  Provided further, That no 
     amounts may be made available pursuant to the preceding 
     proviso from amounts that were designated by the Congress as 
     an emergency requirement pursuant to a Concurrent Resolution 
     on the Budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985, or that were specified in the table 
     titled ``Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed 
     Spending'' in the explanatory statement for division A of 
     Public Law 117-328 described in section 4 in the matter 
     preceding such division A:  Provided further, That $6,000,000 
     of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be 
     available for community facilities grants to tribal colleges, 
     as authorized by section 306(a)(19) of such Act:  Provided 
     further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated 
     Farm and Rural Development Act are not applicable to the 
     funds made available under this heading.

                  Rural Business--Cooperative Service

                     rural business program account

       For the cost of loan guarantees and grants, for the rural 
     business development programs authorized by section 310B and 
     described in subsections (a), (c), (f) and (g) of section 
     310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, 
     $68,840,000, to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That of the amount appropriated under this heading, not to 
     exceed $500,000 shall be made available for one grant to a 
     qualified national organization to provide technical 
     assistance for rural transportation in order to promote 
     economic development and $6,000,000 shall be for grants to 
     the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 2009aa et seq.), the 
     Northern Border Regional Commission (40 U.S.C. 15101 et 
     seq.), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (40 U.S.C. 
     14101 et seq.) for any Rural Community Advancement Program 
     purpose as described in section 381E(d) of the Consolidated 
     Farm and Rural Development Act, of which not more than 5 
     percent may be used for administrative expenses: Provided 
     further, That of the amount appropriated under this heading, 
     not to exceed $100,000 shall be made available for one or 
     more qualified state technology councils to promote private-
     sector economic development in the bio-sciences:  Provided 
     further, That $4,000,000 of the amount appropriated under 
     this heading shall be for business grants to benefit 
     Federally Recognized Native American Tribes, including 
     $250,000 for a grant to a qualified national organization to 
     provide technical assistance for rural

[[Page H4516]]

     transportation in order to promote economic development:  
     Provided further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act are not 
     applicable to funds made available under this heading.

              intermediary relending program fund account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by 
     the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C. 
     1936b), $16,000,000.
       For the cost of direct loans, $4,856,000, as authorized by 
     the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C. 
     1936b), of which $331,000 shall be available through June 30, 
     2024, for Federally Recognized Native American Tribes; and of 
     which $663,000 shall be available through June 30, 2024, for 
     Mississippi Delta Region counties (as determined in 
     accordance with Public Law 100-460):  Provided, That such 
     costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be 
     as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974.
       In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the 
     direct loan programs, $4,468,000 shall be paid to the 
     appropriation for ``Rural Development, Salaries and 
     Expenses''.

            rural economic development loans program account

       For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized 
     under section 313B(a) of the Rural Electrification Act, for 
     the purpose of promoting rural economic development and job 
     creation projects, $75,000,000.
       The cost of grants authorized under section 313B(a) of the 
     Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural 
     economic development and job creation projects shall not 
     exceed $15,000,000.

                  rural cooperative development grants

       For rural cooperative development grants authorized under 
     section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
     Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932), $19,600,000, of which 
     $2,800,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the 
     appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program:  
     Provided, That not to exceed $3,000,000 shall be for grants 
     for cooperative development centers, individual cooperatives, 
     or groups of cooperatives that serve socially disadvantaged 
     groups and a majority of the boards of directors or governing 
     boards of which are comprised of individuals who are members 
     of socially disadvantaged groups; and of which $8,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended, shall be for value-added 
     agricultural product market development grants, as authorized 
     by section 210A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.

               rural microentrepreneur assistance program

       For the principal amount of direct loans as authorized by 
     section 379E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
     Act (7 U.S.C. 2008s), $5,000,000.
       For the cost of loans and grants, $6,000,000 under the same 
     terms and conditions as authorized by section 379E of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008s).

                    rural energy for america program

       For the principal amount of loan guarantees, under the same 
     terms and conditions as authorized by section 9007 of the 
     Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 
     8107), $50,000,000.

                        Rural Utilities Service

             rural water and waste disposal program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct 
     and guaranteed loans as authorized by section 306 and 
     described in section 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and 
     Rural Development Act, as follows: $1,000,000,000 for direct 
     loans; and $50,000,000 for guaranteed loans.
       For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees and grants, 
     including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 
     502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, for rural water, 
     waste water, waste disposal, and solid waste management 
     programs authorized by sections 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, 
     and 310B and described in sections 306C(a)(2), 306D, 306E, 
     and 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
     Act, $587,120,000, to remain available until expended, of 
     which up to $120,101,362 shall be for the purposes, and in 
     the amounts, specified for this account in the table titled 
     ``Community Project Funding'' in the report accompanying this 
     Act, of which not to exceed $1,000,000 shall be available for 
     the rural utilities program described in section 306(a)(2)(B) 
     of such Act, and of which not to exceed $4,000,000 shall be 
     available for the rural utilities program described in 
     section 306E of such Act:  Provided, That not to exceed 
     $10,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading 
     shall be for grants authorized by section 306A(i)(2) of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act in addition to 
     funding authorized by section 306A(i)(1) of such Act:  
     Provided further, That $30,000,000 of the amount appropriated 
     under this heading shall be for loans and grants including 
     water and waste disposal systems grants authorized by section 
     306C(a)(2)(B) and section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and 
     Rural Development Act, and Federally Recognized Native 
     American Tribes authorized by 306C(a)(1) of such Act:  
     Provided further, That funding provided for section 306D of 
     the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be 
     provided to a consortium formed pursuant to section 325 of 
     Public Law 105-83:  Provided further, That not more than 2 
     percent of the funding provided for section 306D of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be used by 
     the State of Alaska for training and technical assistance 
     programs and not more than 2 percent of the funding provided 
     for section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
     Development Act may be used by a consortium formed pursuant 
     to section 325 of Public Law 105-83 for training and 
     technical assistance programs:  Provided further, That not to 
     exceed $37,500,000 of the amount appropriated under this 
     heading shall be for technical assistance grants for rural 
     water and waste systems pursuant to section 306(a)(14) of 
     such Act, unless the Secretary makes a determination of 
     extreme need, of which $8,500,000 shall be made available for 
     a grant to a qualified nonprofit multi-State regional 
     technical assistance organization, with experience in working 
     with small communities on water and waste water problems, the 
     principal purpose of such grant shall be to assist rural 
     communities with populations of 3,300 or less, in improving 
     the planning, financing, development, operation, and 
     management of water and waste water systems, and of which not 
     less than $800,000 shall be for a qualified national Native 
     American organization to provide technical assistance for 
     rural water systems for tribal communities:  Provided 
     further, That not to exceed $21,817,000 of the amount 
     appropriated under this heading shall be for contracting with 
     qualified national organizations for a circuit rider program 
     to provide technical assistance for rural water systems:  
     Provided further, That not to exceed $4,000,000 of the 
     amounts made available under this heading shall be for solid 
     waste management grants.

   rural electrification and telecommunications loans program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       The principal amount of loans and loan guarantees as 
     authorized by sections 4, 305, 306, 313A, and 317 of the 
     Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 904, 935, 936, 
     940c-1, and 940g) shall be made as follows: guaranteed rural 
     electric loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, 
     $2,167,000,000; cost of money direct loans made pursuant to 
     sections 4, notwithstanding the one-eighth of one percent in 
     4(c)(2), and 317, notwithstanding 317(c), of that Act, 
     $4,333,000,000; guaranteed underwriting loans pursuant to 
     section 313A of that Act, $900,000,000; and for cost-of-money 
     rural telecommunications loans made pursuant to section 
     305(d)(2) of that Act, $690,000,000:  Provided, That up to 
     $2,000,000,000 shall be used for the construction, 
     acquisition, design, engineering or improvement of fossil-
     fueled electric generating plants (whether new or existing) 
     that utilize carbon subsurface utilization and storage 
     systems.
       For the cost of direct loans as authorized by section 
     305(d)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
     935(d)(2)), including the cost of modifying loans, as defined 
     in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, cost 
     of money rural telecommunications loans, $7,176,000.
       In addition, $3,578,000 to remain available until expended, 
     to carry out section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural 
     Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107a):  Provided, That the 
     energy efficiency measures supported by the funding in this 
     paragraph shall contribute in a demonstrable way to the 
     reduction of greenhouse gases.
       In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry 
     out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $33,270,000, 
     which shall be paid to the appropriation for ``Rural 
     Development, Salaries and Expenses''.

         distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program

       For grants for telemedicine and distance learning services 
     in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., 
     $56,973,000, to remain available until expended, of which up 
     to $6,972,570 shall be for the purposes, and in the amounts, 
     specified for this account in the table titled ``Community 
     Project Funding'' in the report accompanying this Act:  
     Provided, That $3,000,000 shall be made available for grants 
     authorized by section 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
     Development Act:  Provided further, That funding provided 
     under this heading for grants under section 379G of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may only be 
     provided to entities that meet all of the eligibility 
     criteria for a consortium as established by this section.
       For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by sections 
     601 and 602 of the Rural Electrification Act, $2,037,000, to 
     remain available until expended:  Provided, That the cost of 
     direct loans shall be as defined in section 502 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
       For the cost to continue a broadband loan and grant pilot 
     program established by section 779 of division A of the 
     Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141) 
     under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7 
     U.S.C. 901 et seq.), $269,385,000, to remain available until 
     expended, of which up to $10,385,000 shall be for the 
     purposes, and in the amounts, specified for this account in 
     the table titled ``Community Project Funding'' in the report 
     accompanying this Act:  Provided, That the Secretary may 
     award grants described in section 601(a) of the Rural 
     Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 950bb(a)) 
     for the purposes of carrying out such pilot program:  
     Provided further, That the cost of direct loans shall be

[[Page H4517]]

     defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974:  Provided further, That at least 90 percent of the 
     households to be served by a project receiving a loan or 
     grant under the pilot program shall be in a rural area 
     without sufficient access to broadband:  Provided further, 
     That for purposes of such pilot program, a rural area without 
     sufficient access to broadband shall be defined as twenty-
     five megabits per second downstream and three megabits per 
     second upstream:  Provided further, That to the extent 
     possible, projects receiving funds provided under the pilot 
     program must build out service to at least one hundred 
     megabits per second downstream, and twenty megabits per 
     second upstream:  Provided further, That an entity to which a 
     loan or grant is made under the pilot program shall not use 
     the loan or grant to overbuild or duplicate broadband service 
     in a service area by any entity that has received a broadband 
     loan from the Rural Utilities Service unless such service is 
     not provided sufficient access to broadband at the minimum 
     service threshold:  Provided further, That not more than four 
     percent of the funds made available in this paragraph can be 
     used for administrative costs to carry out the pilot program 
     and up to three percent of funds made available in this 
     paragraph may be available for technical assistance and pre-
     development planning activities to support the most rural 
     communities:  Provided further, That the Rural Utilities 
     Service is directed to expedite program delivery methods that 
     would implement this paragraph:  Provided further, That for 
     purposes of this paragraph, the Secretary shall adhere to the 
     notice, reporting and service area assessment requirements 
     set forth in section 701 of the Rural Electrification Act (7 
     U.S.C. 950cc).
       In addition, $30,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended, for the Community Connect Grant Program authorized 
     by 7 U.S.C. 950bb-3.

                                TITLE IV

                         DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS

    Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer 
                                Services

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary 
     for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, $800,000:  
     Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency 
     in the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services mission area for 
     salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one 
     administrative support staff for the Office.

                       Food and Nutrition Service

                        child nutrition programs

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the Richard B. Russell 
     National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except 
     section 21, and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
     1771 et seq.), except sections 17 and 21; $31,996,363,000 to 
     remain available through September 30, 2025, of which such 
     sums as are made available under section 14222(b)(1) of the 
     Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-
     246), as amended by this Act, shall be merged with and 
     available for the same time period and purposes as provided 
     herein:  Provided, That of the total amount available, 
     $18,004,000 shall be available to carry out section 19 of the 
     Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.):  
     Provided further, That of the total amount available, 
     $21,005,000 shall be available to carry out studies and 
     evaluations and shall remain available until expended:  
     Provided further, That of the total amount available, 
     $3,000,000 shall remain available until expended to carry out 
     section 18(g) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)):  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding section 18(g)(3)(C) of the Richard B. Russell 
     National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)(3)(c)), the 
     total grant amount provided to a farm to school grant 
     recipient in fiscal year 2024 shall not exceed $500,000:  
     Provided further, That of the total amount available, 
     $20,000,000 shall be available to provide competitive grants 
     to State agencies for subgrants to local educational agencies 
     and schools to purchase the equipment, with a value of 
     greater than $1,000, needed to serve healthier meals, improve 
     food safety, and to help support the establishment, 
     maintenance, or expansion of the school breakfast program:  
     Provided further, That section 26(d) of the Richard B. 
     Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769g(d)) is 
     amended in the first sentence by striking ``2010 through 
     2024'' and inserting ``2010 through 2025'':  Provided 
     further, That section 9(h)(3) of the Richard B. Russell 
     National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(h)(3)) is amended 
     in the first sentence by striking ``For fiscal year 2023'' 
     and inserting ``For fiscal year 2024'':  Provided further, 
     That section 9(h)(4) of the Richard B. Russell National 
     School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(h)(4)) is amended in the 
     first sentence by striking ``For fiscal year 2023'' and 
     inserting ``For fiscal year 2024''.

special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children 
                                 (wic)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the special 
     supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of 
     the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), 
     $6,000,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 
     2025:  Provided, That notwithstanding section 17(h)(10) of 
     the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(10)), up 
     to $90,000,000 shall be used for breastfeeding peer 
     counselors and other related activities, and up to 
     $14,000,000 shall be used for infrastructure:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary shall use funds made available 
     under this heading to increase the amount of a cash-value 
     voucher to $11 for child participants, $13 for pregnant and 
     postpartum women, and $15 for fully and partially 
     breastfeeding women and adjusted for inflation beginning in 
     fiscal year 2025:  Provided further, That none of the funds 
     provided in this account shall be available for the purchase 
     of infant formula except in accordance with the cost 
     containment and competitive bidding requirements specified in 
     section 17 of such Act:  Provided further, That none of the 
     funds provided shall be available for activities that are not 
     fully reimbursed by other Federal Government departments or 
     agencies unless authorized by section 17 of such Act:  
     Provided further, That upon termination of a federally 
     mandated vendor moratorium and subject to terms and 
     conditions established by the Secretary, the Secretary may 
     waive the requirement at 7 CFR 246.12(g)(6) at the request of 
     a State agency.

               supplemental nutrition assistance program

       For necessary expenses to carry out the Food and Nutrition 
     Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $121,996,757,000, of 
     which $3,000,000,000, to remain available through September 
     30, 2026, shall be placed in reserve for use only in such 
     amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry 
     out program operations:  Provided, That funds provided herein 
     shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food 
     and Nutrition Act of 2008:  Provided further, That of the 
     funds made available under this heading, $998,000 may be used 
     to provide nutrition education services to State agencies and 
     Federally Recognized Tribes participating in the Food 
     Distribution Program on Indian Reservations:  Provided 
     further, That of the funds made available under this heading, 
     $3,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025, 
     shall be used to carry out section 4003(b) of Public Law 115-
     334 relating to demonstration projects for tribal 
     organizations: Provided further, That of the funds made 
     available under this heading, $2,000,000 shall be used to 
     carry out section 4208 of Public law 115-334;  Provided 
     further, That this appropriation shall be subject to any work 
     registration or workfare requirements as may be required by 
     law:  Provided further, That funds made available for 
     Employment and Training under this heading shall remain 
     available through September 30, 2025:  Provided further, That 
     funds made available under this heading for section 28(d)(1), 
     section 4(b), and section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
     of 2008 shall remain available through September 30, 2025:  
     Provided further, That none of the funds made available under 
     this heading may be obligated or expended in contravention of 
     section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1183A):  Provided further, That funds made available under 
     this heading may be used to enter into contracts and employ 
     staff to conduct studies, evaluations, or to conduct 
     activities related to program integrity provided that such 
     activities are authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of 
     2008.

                      commodity assistance program

       For necessary expenses to carry out disaster assistance and 
     the Commodity Supplemental Food Program as authorized by 
     section 4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act 
     of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note); the Emergency Food Assistance 
     Act of 1983; special assistance for the nuclear affected 
     islands, as authorized by section 103(f)(2) of the Compact of 
     Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-188); 
     and the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by 
     section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 
     $472,563,000, to remain available through September 30, 2025: 
      Provided, That none of these funds shall be available to 
     reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities 
     donated to the program:  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective with 
     funds made available in fiscal year 2024 to support the 
     Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by 
     section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
     2002, such funds shall remain available through September 30, 
     2025:  Provided further, That of the funds made available 
     under section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
     U.S.C. 2036(a)), the Secretary may use up to 20 percent for 
     costs associated with the distribution of commodities.

                   nutrition programs administration

       For necessary administrative expenses of the Food and 
     Nutrition Service for carrying out any domestic nutrition 
     assistance program, $136,861,000:  Provided, That of the 
     funds provided herein, $2,000,000 shall be used for the 
     purposes of section 4404 of Public Law 107-171, as amended by 
     section 4401 of Public Law 110-246.

                                TITLE V

                FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS

   Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural 
                                Affairs

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary 
     for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, $875,000:  
     Provided, That funds made available by this Act to any agency 
     in the Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs mission area 
     for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one 
     administrative support staff for the Office.

                      Foreign Agricultural Service

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Foreign Agricultural Service, 
     including not to exceed

[[Page H4518]]

     $250,000 for representation allowances and for expenses 
     pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved August 3, 1956 (7 
     U.S.C. 1766), $237,330,000, of which no more than 6 percent 
     shall remain available until September 30, 2025, for overseas 
     operations to include the payment of locally employed staff:  
     Provided, That the Service may utilize advances of funds, or 
     reimburse this appropriation for expenditures made on behalf 
     of Federal agencies, public and private organizations and 
     institutions under agreements executed pursuant to the 
     agricultural food production assistance programs (7 U.S.C. 
     1737) and the foreign assistance programs of the United 
     States Agency for International Development:  Provided 
     further, That funds made available for middle-income country 
     training programs, funds made available for the Borlaug 
     International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship 
     program, and up to $2,000,000 of the Foreign Agricultural 
     Service appropriation solely for the purpose of offsetting 
     fluctuations in international currency exchange rates, 
     subject to documentation by the Foreign Agricultural Service, 
     shall remain available until expended.

                     food for peace title ii grants

       For expenses during the current fiscal year, not otherwise 
     recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including 
     interest thereon, under the Food for Peace Act (Public Law 
     83-480), for commodities supplied in connection with 
     dispositions abroad under title II of said Act, 
     $1,740,000,000 (reduced by $1,207,900,000), to remain 
     available until expended.

  mcgovern-dole international food for education and child nutrition 
                             program grants

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of 
     section 3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
     2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o-1), $240,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended:  Provided, That the Commodity Credit 
     Corporation is authorized to provide the services, 
     facilities, and authorities for the purpose of implementing 
     such section, subject to reimbursement from amounts provided 
     herein:  Provided further, That of the amount made available 
     under this heading, not more than 10 percent, but not less 
     than $24,000,000, shall remain available until expended to 
     purchase agricultural commodities as described in subsection 
     3107(a)(2) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
     2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o-1(a)(2)).

 commodity credit corporation export (loans) credit guarantee program 
                                account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For administrative expenses to carry out the Commodity 
     Credit Corporation's Export Guarantee Program, GSM 102 and 
     GSM 103, $6,063,000, to cover common overhead expenses as 
     permitted by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation 
     Charter Act and in conformity with the Federal Credit Reform 
     Act of 1990, which shall be paid to the appropriation for 
     ``Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses''.

                                TITLE VI

           RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

                Department of Health and Human Services

                      food and drug administration

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Food and Drug Administration, 
     including hire and purchase of passenger motor vehicles; for 
     payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public 
     Law 92-313 for programs and activities of the Food and Drug 
     Administration which are included in this Act; for rental of 
     special purpose space in the District of Columbia or 
     elsewhere; in addition to amounts appropriated to the FDA 
     Innovation Account, for carrying out the activities described 
     in section 1002(b)(4) of the 21st Century Cures Act (Public 
     Law 114-255); for miscellaneous and emergency expenses of 
     enforcement activities, authorized and approved by the 
     Secretary and to be accounted for solely on the Secretary's 
     certificate, not to exceed $25,000; and notwithstanding 
     section 521 of Public Law 107-188; $6,579,030,000:  Provided, 
     That of the amount provided under this heading, 
     $1,336,525,000 shall be derived from prescription drug user 
     fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379h, and shall be credited to 
     this account and remain available until expended; 
     $331,273,000 shall be derived from medical device user fees 
     authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j, and shall be credited to this 
     account and remain available until expended; $594,150,000 
     shall be derived from human generic drug user fees authorized 
     by 21 U.S.C. 379j-42, and shall be credited to this account 
     and remain available until expended; $42,432,000 shall be 
     derived from biosimilar biological product user fees 
     authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-52, and shall be credited to 
     this account and remain available until expended; $33,500,000 
     shall be derived from animal drug user fees authorized by 21 
     U.S.C. 379j-12, and shall be credited to this account and 
     remain available until expended; $25,000,000 shall be derived 
     from generic new animal drug user fees authorized by 21 
     U.S.C. 379j-21, and shall be credited to this account and 
     remain available until expended; $712,000,000 shall be 
     derived from tobacco product user fees authorized by 21 
     U.S.C. 387s, and shall be credited to this account and remain 
     available until expended:  Provided further, That in addition 
     to and notwithstanding any other provision under this 
     heading, amounts collected for prescription drug user fees, 
     medical device user fees, human generic drug user fees, 
     biosimilar biological product user fees, animal drug user 
     fees, and generic new animal drug user fees that exceed the 
     respective fiscal year 2024 limitations are appropriated and 
     shall be credited to this account and remain available until 
     expended:  Provided further, That fees derived from 
     prescription drug, medical device, human generic drug, 
     biosimilar biological product, animal drug, and generic new 
     animal drug assessments for fiscal year 2024, including any 
     such fees collected prior to fiscal year 2024 but credited 
     for fiscal year 2024, shall be subject to the fiscal year 
     2024 limitations:  Provided further, That the Secretary may 
     accept payment during fiscal year 2024 of user fees specified 
     under this heading and authorized for fiscal year 2025, prior 
     to the due date for such fees, and that amounts of such fees 
     assessed for fiscal year 2025 for which the Secretary accepts 
     payment in fiscal year 2024 shall not be included in amounts 
     under this heading:  Provided further, That none of these 
     funds shall be used to develop, establish, or operate any 
     program of user fees authorized by 31 U.S.C. 9701:  Provided 
     further, That of the total amount appropriated: (1) 
     $1,190,536,000 shall be for the Center for Food Safety and 
     Applied Nutrition and related field activities in the Office 
     of Regulatory Affairs, of which no less than $15,000,000 
     shall be used for inspections of foreign seafood 
     manufacturers and field examinations of imported seafood; (2) 
     $2,316,063,000 shall be for the Center for Drug Evaluation 
     and Research and related field activities in the Office of 
     Regulatory Affairs, of which no less than $10,000,000 shall 
     be for pilots to increase unannounced foreign inspections and 
     shall remain available until expended; (3) $492,314,000 shall 
     be for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and 
     for related field activities in the Office of Regulatory 
     Affairs; (4) $283,678,000 shall be for the Center for 
     Veterinary Medicine and for related field activities in the 
     Office of Regulatory Affairs; (5) $739,854,000 shall be for 
     the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and for 
     related field activities in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; 
     (6) $76,534,000 shall be for the National Center for 
     Toxicological Research; (7) $677,165,000 shall be for the 
     Center for Tobacco Products and for related field activities 
     in the Office of Regulatory Affairs; (8) $214,304,000 shall 
     be for Rent and Related activities, of which $55,729,000 is 
     for White Oak Consolidation, other than the amounts paid to 
     the General Services Administration for rent; (9) 
     $227,708,000 shall be for payments to the General Services 
     Administration for rent; and (10) $360,874,000 shall be for 
     other activities, including the Office of the Commissioner of 
     Food and Drugs, the Office of Food Policy and Response, the 
     Office of Operations, the Office of the Chief Scientist, and 
     central services for these offices:  Provided further, That 
     not to exceed $25,000 of this amount shall be for official 
     reception and representation expenses, not otherwise provided 
     for, as determined by the Commissioner:  Provided further, 
     That any transfer of funds pursuant to, and for the 
     administration of, section 770(n) of the Federal Food, Drug, 
     and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 379dd(n)) shall only be from 
     amounts made available under this heading for other 
     activities and shall not exceed $2,000,000:  Provided 
     further, That of the amounts that are made available under 
     this heading for ``other activities'', and that are not 
     derived from user fees, $1,500,000 shall be transferred to 
     and merged with the appropriation for ``Department of Health 
     and Human Services--Office of Inspector General'' for 
     oversight of the programs and operations of the Food and Drug 
     Administration and shall be in addition to funds otherwise 
     made available for oversight of the Food and Drug 
     Administration:  Provided further, That funds may be 
     transferred from one specified activity to another with the 
     prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both 
     Houses of Congress.
       In addition, mammography user fees authorized by 42 U.S.C. 
     263b, export certification user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 
     381, priority review user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360n 
     and 360ff, food and feed recall fees, food reinspection fees, 
     and voluntary qualified importer program fees authorized by 
     21 U.S.C. 379j-31, outsourcing facility fees authorized by 21 
     U.S.C. 379j-62, prescription drug wholesale distributor 
     licensing and inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 
     353(e)(3), third-party logistics provider licensing and 
     inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360eee-3(c)(1), 
     third-party auditor fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 384d(c)(8), 
     medical countermeasure priority review voucher user fees 
     authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-4a, and fees relating to over-
     the-counter monograph drugs authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-72 
     shall be credited to this account, to remain available until 
     expended.

                   fda innovation account, cures act

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the purposes described 
     under section 1002(b)(4) of the 21st Century Cures Act, in 
     addition to amounts available for such purposes under the 
     heading ``Salaries and Expenses'', $50,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That amounts 
     appropriated in this paragraph are appropriated pursuant to 
     section 1002(b)(3) of the 21st Century Cures Act, are to be 
     derived from amounts transferred under section 1002(b)(2)(A) 
     of such Act, and may be transferred by the Commissioner of 
     Food and Drugs to the appropriation for ``Department of 
     Health and Human Services

[[Page H4519]]

     Food and Drug Administration Salaries and Expenses'' solely 
     for the purposes provided in such Act:  Provided further, 
     That upon a determination by the Commissioner that funds 
     transferred pursuant to the previous proviso are not 
     necessary for the purposes provided, such amounts may be 
     transferred back to the account:  Provided further, That such 
     transfer authority is in addition to any other transfer 
     authority provided by law.

                          INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

                  Commodity Futures Trading Commission

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the 
     Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), including the 
     purchase and hire of passenger motor vehicles, and the rental 
     of space (to include multiple year leases), in the District 
     of Columbia and elsewhere, $345,000,000, including not to 
     exceed $3,000 for official reception and representation 
     expenses, and not to exceed $25,000 for the expenses for 
     consultations and meetings hosted by the Commission with 
     foreign governmental and other regulatory officials, of which 
     not less than $20,000,000 shall remain available until 
     September 30, 2025, and of which not less than $4,218,000 
     shall be for expenses of the Office of the Inspector General: 
      Provided, That notwithstanding the limitations in 31 U.S.C. 
     1553, amounts provided under this heading are available for 
     the liquidation of obligations equal to current year payments 
     on leases entered into prior to the date of enactment of this 
     Act: Provided further, That for the purpose of recording and 
     liquidating any lease obligations that should have been 
     recorded and liquidated against accounts closed pursuant to 
     31 U.S.C. 1552, and consistent with the preceding proviso, 
     such amounts shall be transferred to and recorded in a no-
     year account in the Treasury, which has been established for 
     the sole purpose of recording adjustments for and liquidating 
     such unpaid obligations.

                       Farm Credit Administration

                 limitation on administrative expenses

       Not to exceed $94,300,000 (from assessments collected from 
     farm credit institutions, including the Federal Agricultural 
     Mortgage Corporation) shall be obligated during the current 
     fiscal year for administrative expenses as authorized under 
     12 U.S.C. 2249:  Provided, That this limitation shall not 
     apply to expenses associated with receiverships:  Provided 
     further, That the agency may exceed this limitation by up to 
     10 percent with notification to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:  Provided further, 
     That the purposes of section 3.7(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Farm 
     Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2128(b)(2)(A)(i)), the Farm 
     Credit Administration may exempt, an amount in its sole 
     discretion, from the application of the limitation provided 
     in that clause of export loans described in the clause 
     guaranteed or insured in a manner other than described in 
     subclause (II) of the clause.

                               TITLE VII

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS

             (including rescissions and transfers of funds)

       Sec. 701.  The Secretary may use any appropriations made 
     available to the Department of Agriculture in this Act to 
     purchase new passenger motor vehicles, in addition to 
     specific appropriations for this purpose, so long as the 
     total number of vehicles purchased in fiscal year 2024 does 
     not exceed the number of vehicles owned or leased in fiscal 
     year 2018:  Provided, That, prior to purchasing additional 
     motor vehicles, the Secretary must determine that such 
     vehicles are necessary for transportation safety, to reduce 
     operational costs, and for the protection of life, property, 
     and public safety:  Provided further, That the Secretary may 
     not increase the Department of Agriculture's fleet above the 
     2018 level unless the Secretary notifies in writing, and 
     receives approval from, the Committees on Appropriations of 
     both Houses of Congress within 30 days of the notification.
       Sec. 702.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 
     the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer unobligated 
     balances of discretionary funds appropriated by this Act or 
     any other available unobligated discretionary balances that 
     are remaining available of the Department of Agriculture to 
     the Working Capital Fund for the acquisition of property, 
     plant and equipment and for the improvement, delivery, and 
     implementation of Department financial, and administrative 
     information technology services, and other support systems 
     necessary for the delivery of financial, administrative, and 
     information technology services, including cloud adoption and 
     migration, of primary benefit to the agencies of the 
     Department of Agriculture, such transferred funds to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That none of the funds 
     made available by this Act or any other Act shall be 
     transferred to the Working Capital Fund without the prior 
     approval of the agency administrator:  Provided further, That 
     none of the funds transferred to the Working Capital Fund 
     pursuant to this section shall be available for obligation 
     without written notification to and the prior approval of the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:  
     Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated by this 
     Act or made available to the Department's Working Capital 
     Fund shall be available for obligation or expenditure to make 
     any changes to the Department's National Finance Center 
     without written notification to and prior approval of the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress as 
     required by section 716 of this Act:  Provided further, That 
     none of the funds appropriated by this Act or made available 
     to the Department's Working Capital Fund shall be available 
     for obligation or expenditure to initiate, plan, develop, 
     implement, or make any changes to remove or relocate any 
     systems, missions, personnel, or functions of the offices of 
     the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Information 
     Officer, co-located with or from the National Finance Center 
     prior to written notification to and prior approval of the 
     Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress and in 
     accordance with the requirements of section 716 of this Act:  
     Provided further, That the National Finance Center 
     Information Technology Services Division personnel and data 
     center management responsibilities, and control of any 
     functions, missions, and systems for current and future human 
     resources management and integrated personnel and payroll 
     systems (PPS) and functions provided by the Chief Financial 
     Officer and the Chief Information Officer shall remain in the 
     National Finance Center and under the management 
     responsibility and administrative control of the National 
     Finance Center:  Provided further, That the Secretary of 
     Agriculture and the offices of the Chief Financial Officer 
     shall actively market to existing and new Departments and 
     other government agencies National Finance Center shared 
     services including, but not limited to, payroll, financial 
     management, and human capital shared services and allow the 
     National Finance Center to perform technology upgrades:  
     Provided further, That of annual income amounts in the 
     Working Capital Fund of the Department of Agriculture 
     attributable to the amounts in excess of the true costs of 
     the shared services provided by the National Finance Center 
     and budgeted for the National Finance Center, the Secretary 
     shall reserve not more than 4 percent for the replacement or 
     acquisition of capital equipment, including equipment for the 
     improvement, delivery, and implementation of financial, 
     administrative, and information technology services, and 
     other systems of the National Finance Center or to pay any 
     unforeseen, extraordinary cost of the National Finance 
     Center:  Provided further, That none of the amounts reserved 
     shall be available for obligation unless the Secretary 
     submits written notification of the obligation to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:  
     Provided further, That the limitations on the obligation of 
     funds pending notification to Congressional Committees shall 
     not apply to any obligation that, as determined by the 
     Secretary, is necessary to respond to a declared state of 
     emergency that significantly impacts the operations of the 
     National Finance Center; or to evacuate employees of the 
     National Finance Center to a safe haven to continue 
     operations of the National Finance Center.
       Sec. 703.  No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current 
     fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
       Sec. 704.  No funds appropriated by this Act may be used to 
     pay negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements 
     or similar arrangements between the United States Department 
     of Agriculture and nonprofit institutions in excess of 10 
     percent of the total direct cost of the agreement when the 
     purpose of such cooperative arrangements is to carry out 
     programs of mutual interest between the two parties. This 
     does not preclude appropriate payment of indirect costs on 
     grants and contracts with such institutions when such 
     indirect costs are computed on a similar basis for all 
     agencies for which appropriations are provided in this Act.
       Sec. 705.  Appropriations to the Department of Agriculture 
     for the cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in 
     the current fiscal year shall remain available until expended 
     to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year for 
     the following accounts: the Rural Development Loan Fund 
     program account, the Rural Electrification and 
     Telecommunication Loans program account, and the Rural 
     Housing Insurance Fund program account.
       Sec. 706.  None of the funds made available to the 
     Department of Agriculture by this Act may be used to acquire 
     new information technology systems or significant upgrades, 
     as determined by the Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
     without the approval of the Chief Information Officer and the 
     concurrence of the Executive Information Technology 
     Investment Review Board:  Provided, That notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or 
     otherwise made available by this Act may be transferred to 
     the Office of the Chief Information Officer without written 
     notification to and the prior approval of the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:  Provided further, 
     That notwithstanding section 11319 of title 40, United States 
     Code, none of the funds available to the Department of 
     Agriculture for information technology shall be obligated for 
     projects, contracts, or other agreements over $25,000 prior 
     to receipt of written approval by the Chief Information 
     Officer:  Provided further, That the Chief Information 
     Officer may authorize an agency to obligate funds without 
     written approval from the Chief Information Officer for 
     projects, contracts, or other agreements up to $250,000 based 
     upon the performance of an agency measured against the 
     performance plan requirements described in the explanatory 
     statement accompanying Public Law 113-235.

[[Page H4520]]

       Sec. 707.  Funds made available under section 524(b) of the 
     Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)) in the current 
     fiscal year shall remain available until expended to disburse 
     obligations made in the current fiscal year.
       Sec. 708.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any 
     former Rural Utilities Service borrower that has repaid or 
     prepaid an insured, direct or guaranteed loan under the Rural 
     Electrification Act of 1936, or any not-for-profit utility 
     that is eligible to receive an insured or direct loan under 
     such Act, shall be eligible for assistance under section 
     313B(a) of such Act in the same manner as a borrower under 
     such Act.
       Sec. 709.  Except as otherwise specifically provided by 
     law, not more than $20,000,000 in unobligated balances from 
     appropriations made available for salaries and expenses in 
     this Act for the Farm Service Agency shall remain available 
     through September 30, 2025, for information technology 
     expenses.
       Sec. 710.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be used for first-class travel by 
     the employees of agencies funded by this Act in contravention 
     of sections 301-10.122 through 301-10.124 of title 41, Code 
     of Federal Regulations.
       Sec. 711.  In the case of each program established or 
     amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79) 
     or by a successor to that Act, other than by title I or 
     subtitle A of title III of such Act, or programs for which 
     indefinite amounts were provided in that Act, that is 
     authorized or required to be carried out using funds of the 
     Commodity Credit Corporation--
       (1) such funds shall be available for salaries and related 
     administrative expenses, including technical assistance, 
     associated with the implementation of the program, without 
     regard to the limitation on the total amount of allotments 
     and fund transfers contained in section 11 of the Commodity 
     Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i); and
       (2) the use of such funds for such purpose shall not be 
     considered to be a fund transfer or allotment for purposes of 
     applying the limitation on the total amount of allotments and 
     fund transfers contained in such section.
       Sec. 712.  Of the funds made available by this Act, not 
     more than $2,900,000 shall be used to cover necessary 
     expenses of activities related to all advisory committees, 
     panels, commissions, and task forces of the Department of 
     Agriculture, except for panels used to comply with negotiated 
     rule makings and panels used to evaluate competitively 
     awarded grants.
       Sec. 713. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be used to maintain or establish a computer network 
     unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and 
     exchanging of pornography.
       (b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds 
     necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law 
     enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal 
     investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
       Sec. 714.  Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 14222 
     of Public Law 110-246 (7 U.S.C. 612c-6; in this section 
     referred to as ``section 14222''), none of the funds 
     appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other 
     Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of 
     personnel to carry out a program under section 32 of the Act 
     of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c; in this section referred 
     to as ``section 32'') in excess of $1,573,666,000, as 
     follows: Child Nutrition Programs Entitlement Commodities--
     $485,000,000; State Option Contracts--$5,000,000; Removal of 
     Defective Commodities--$2,500,000; Administration of section 
     32 Commodity Purchases--$37,178,000: Provided, That none of 
     the funds made available in this Act or any other Act shall 
     be used for salaries and expenses to carry out in this fiscal 
     year section 19(i)(1)(E) of the Richard B. Russell National 
     School Lunch Act, as amended, except in an amount that 
     excludes the transfer of $195,000,000 of the funds to be 
     transferred under subsection (c) of section 14222 of Public 
     Law 110-246, until October 1, 2024: Provided further, That 
     $195,000,000 made available on October 1, 2024, to carry out 
     section 19(i)(1)(E) of the Richard B. Russell National School 
     Lunch Act, as amended, shall be excluded from the limitation 
     described in subsection (b)(2)(A)(x) of section 14222 of 
     Public Law 110-246 for fiscal year 2025: Provided further, 
     That, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this or any other Act shall be used during 
     fiscal year 2024 to pay the salaries or expenses of any 
     employee of the Department of Agriculture to carry out clause 
     (3) of section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935 
     (Public Law 74-320, 7 U.S.C. 612c, as amended), or 
     subsections (a) through (g) of section 5 of the Commodity 
     Credit Corporation Charter Act: Provided further, That of the 
     available unobligated balances under (b)(2)(A)(x) for fiscal 
     year 2024 of section 14222 of Public Law 110-246, 
     $505,000,000 are rescinded.
       Sec. 715.  None of the funds appropriated by this or any 
     other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of 
     personnel who prepare or submit appropriations language as 
     part of the President's budget submission to the Congress for 
     programs under the jurisdiction of the Appropriations 
     Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
     Drug Administration, and Related Agencies that assumes 
     revenues or reflects a reduction from the previous year due 
     to user fees proposals that have not been enacted into law 
     prior to the submission of the budget unless such budget 
     submission identifies which additional spending reductions 
     should occur in the event the user fees proposals are not 
     enacted prior to the date of the convening of a committee of 
     conference for the fiscal year 2024 appropriations Act.
       Sec. 716. (a) None of the funds provided by this Act, or 
     provided by previous appropriations Acts to the agencies 
     funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or 
     expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any 
     accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees 
     available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be 
     available for obligation or expenditure through a 
     reprogramming, transfer of funds, or reimbursements as 
     authorized by the Economy Act, or in the case of the 
     Department of Agriculture, through use of the authority 
     provided by section 702(b) of the Department of Agriculture 
     Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257) or section 8 of Public 
     Law 89-106 (7 U.S.C. 2263), that--
       (1) creates new programs;
       (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;
       (3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any 
     project or activity for which funds have been denied or 
     restricted;
       (4) relocates an office or employees;
       (5) reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or
       (6) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities 
     presently performed by Federal employees;
     unless the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services, or the Chairman of the Commodity Futures 
     Trading Commission (as the case may be) notifies in writing 
     and receives approval from the Committees on Appropriations 
     of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of the 
     reprogramming of such funds or the use of such authority.
       (b) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by 
     previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this 
     Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in 
     the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the 
     Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the 
     agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for 
     obligation or expenditure for activities, programs, or 
     projects through a reprogramming or use of the authorities 
     referred to in subsection (a) involving funds in excess of 
     $500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, that--
       (1) augments existing programs, projects, or activities;
       (2) reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program, 
     project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent 
     as approved by Congress; or
       (3) results from any general savings from a reduction in 
     personnel which would result in a change in existing 
     programs, activities, or projects as approved by Congress;

     unless the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services, or the Chairman of the Commodity Futures 
     Trading Commission (as the case may be) notifies in writing 
     and receives approval from the Committees on Appropriations 
     of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of the 
     reprogramming or transfer of such funds or the use of such 
     authority.
       (c) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services, or the Chairman of the Commodity Futures 
     Trading Commission shall notify in writing and receive 
     approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 
     of Congress before implementing any program or activity not 
     carried out during the previous fiscal year unless the 
     program or activity is funded by this Act or specifically 
     funded by any other Act.
       (d) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by 
     previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this 
     Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in 
     the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the 
     Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the 
     agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for--
       (1) modifying major capital investments funding levels, 
     including information technology systems, that involves 
     increasing or decreasing funds in the current fiscal year for 
     the individual investment in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent 
     of the total cost, whichever is less;
       (2) realigning or reorganizing new, current, or vacant 
     positions or agency activities or functions to establish a 
     center, office, branch, or similar entity with three or more 
     personnel; or
       (3) carrying out activities or functions that were not 
     described in the budget request;
     unless the agencies funded by this Act notify, in writing, 
     the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 
     at least 30 days in advance of using the funds for these 
     purposes.
       (e) As described in this section, no funds may be used for 
     any activities unless the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Chairman of 
     the Commodity Futures Trading Commission receives from the 
     Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 
     written or electronic mail confirmation of receipt of the 
     notification as required in this section.
       Sec. 717.  Notwithstanding section 310B(g)(5) of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
     1932(g)(5)), the Secretary may assess a one-time fee for any 
     guaranteed business and industry loan in an amount that does 
     not exceed 3 percent of the guaranteed principal portion of 
     the loan.

[[Page H4521]]

       Sec. 718.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available to the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug 
     Administration, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or 
     the Farm Credit Administration shall be used to transmit or 
     otherwise make available reports, questions, or responses to 
     questions that are a result of information requested for the 
     appropriations hearing process to any non-Department of 
     Agriculture, non-Department of Health and Human Services, 
     non-Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or non-Farm Credit 
     Administration employee.
       Sec. 719.  Unless otherwise authorized by existing law, 
     none of the funds provided in this Act, may be used by an 
     executive branch agency to produce any prepackaged news story 
     intended for broadcast or distribution in the United States 
     unless the story includes a clear notification within the 
     text or audio of the prepackaged news story that the 
     prepackaged news story was prepared or funded by that 
     executive branch agency.
       Sec. 720.  No employee of the Department of Agriculture may 
     be detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by 
     this Act or any other Act to any other agency or office of 
     the Department for more than 60 days in a fiscal year unless 
     the individual's employing agency or office is fully 
     reimbursed by the receiving agency or office for the salary 
     and expenses of the employee for the period of assignment.
       Sec. 721.  Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
     Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, the 
     Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the 
     Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration shall submit to 
     the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a 
     detailed spending plan by program, project, and activity for 
     all the funds made available under this Act including 
     appropriated user fees, as defined in the report accompanying 
     this Act.
       Sec. 722.  Of the unobligated balances from amounts made 
     available to the Secretary of Agriculture in section 
     22002(a)(1) of Public Law 117-169, $500,000,000 are hereby 
     rescinded.
       Sec. 723.  For the purposes of determining eligibility or 
     level of program assistance for Rural Development programs 
     the Secretary shall not include incarcerated prison 
     populations.
       Sec. 724.  For loans and loan guarantees that do not 
     require budget authority and the program level has been 
     established in this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may 
     increase the program level for such loans and loan guarantees 
     by not more than 25 percent:  Provided, That prior to the 
     Secretary implementing such an increase, the Secretary 
     notifies, in writing, the Committees on Appropriations of 
     both Houses of Congress at least 15 days in advance.
       Sec. 725.  None of the credit card refunds or rebates 
     transferred to the Working Capital Fund pursuant to section 
     729 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
     Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 
     (7 U.S.C. 2235a; Public Law 107-76) shall be available for 
     obligation without written notification to, and the prior 
     approval of, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 
     of Congress:  Provided, That the refunds or rebates so 
     transferred shall be available for obligation only for the 
     acquisition of property, plant and equipment, including 
     equipment for the improvement, delivery, and implementation 
     of Departmental financial management, information technology, 
     and other support systems necessary for the delivery of 
     financial, administrative, and information technology 
     services, including cloud adoption and migration, of primary 
     benefit to the agencies of the Department of Agriculture.
       Sec. 726.  For fiscal year 2024, the Secretary shall 
     establish a process under which an establishment that is 
     subject to examination and inspection under section 6 of the 
     Federal Meat Inspection Act solely due to the establishment's 
     processing of domestic, wild caught, invasive blue catfish 
     (Ictalurus furcatus) solely for domestic consumption or use, 
     may apply for a waiver of such examination and inspection 
     requirements if the establishment is subject to inspection 
     under the Seafood Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points 
     Program of the Food and Drug Administration and the 
     establishment attests that it applies existing Seafood Hazard 
     Critical Control Points Program for all species processed at 
     the establishment.
       Sec. 727.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement, administer, or enforce the ``variety'' 
     requirements of the final rule entitled ``Enhancing Retailer 
     Standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
     (SNAP)'' published by the Department of Agriculture in the 
     Federal Register on December 15, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 90675) 
     until the Secretary of Agriculture amends the definition of 
     the term ``variety'' as defined in section 278.1(b)(1)(ii)(C) 
     of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, and ``variety'' as 
     applied in the definition of the term ``staple food'' as 
     defined in section 271.2 of title 7, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, to increase the number of items that qualify as 
     acceptable varieties in each staple food category so that the 
     total number of such items in each staple food category 
     exceeds the number of such items in each staple food category 
     included in the final rule as published on December 15, 2016: 
      Provided, That until the Secretary promulgates such 
     regulatory amendments, the Secretary shall apply the 
     requirements regarding acceptable varieties and breadth of 
     stock to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program retailers 
     that were in effect on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-
     79).
       Sec. 728.  Section 756 of division N of the Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 (7 U.S.C. 2254c), is amended by 
     striking ``each of fiscal years 2021 and 2022'' and inserting 
     ``fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter''.
       Sec. 729.  In carrying out subsection (h) of section 502 of 
     the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472), the Secretary of 
     Agriculture shall have the same authority with respect to 
     loans guaranteed under such section and eligible lenders for 
     such loans as the Secretary has under subsections (h) and (j) 
     of section 538 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1490p-2) with respect 
     to loans guaranteed under such section 538 and eligible 
     lenders for such loans.
       Sec. 730.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act shall be available for the United 
     States Department of Agriculture to propose, finalize or 
     implement any regulation that would promulgate new user fees 
     pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 9701 after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.
       Sec. 731.  Of the unobligated balances from amounts made 
     available for the supplemental nutrition program as 
     authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 
     (42 U.S.C. 1786), $500,000,000 are hereby rescinded:  
     Provided, That no amounts may be rescinded from amounts that 
     were designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to a Concurrent Resolution on the Budget or the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
       Sec. 732.  Notwithstanding any provision of law that 
     regulates the calculation and payment of overtime and holiday 
     pay for FSIS inspectors, the Secretary may charge 
     establishments subject to the inspection requirements of the 
     Poultry Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 451 et seq., the 
     Federal Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 601 et seq, and the 
     Egg Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq., for the 
     cost of inspection services provided outside of an 
     establishment's approved inspection shifts, and for 
     inspection services provided on Federal holidays:  Provided, 
     That any sums charged pursuant to this paragraph shall be 
     deemed as overtime pay or holiday pay under section 1001(d) 
     of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2, 
     135 Stat. 242):  Provided further, That sums received by the 
     Secretary under this paragraph shall, in addition to other 
     available funds, remain available until expended to the 
     Secretary without further appropriation for the purpose of 
     funding all costs associated with FSIS inspections.
       Sec. 733.  Of the unobligated balances from amounts made 
     available to the Secretary of Agriculture in section 
     9003(j)(1) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
     2002, $1,000,000,000 are hereby rescinded.
       Sec. 734. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall--
       (1) conduct audits in a manner that evaluates the following 
     factors in the country or region being audited, as 
     applicable--
       (A) veterinary control and oversight;
       (B) disease history and vaccination practices;
       (C) livestock demographics and traceability;
       (D) epidemiological separation from potential sources of 
     infection;
       (E) surveillance practices;
       (F) diagnostic laboratory capabilities; and
       (G) emergency preparedness and response; and
       (2) promptly make publicly available the final reports of 
     any audits or reviews conducted pursuant to subsection (1).
       (b) This section shall be applied in a manner consistent 
     with United States obligations under its international trade 
     agreements.
       Sec. 735. (a)(1) No Federal funds made available for this 
     fiscal year for the rural water, waste water, waste disposal, 
     and solid waste management programs authorized by sections 
     306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B of the Consolidated 
     Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926 et seq.) shall 
     be used for a project for the construction, alteration, 
     maintenance, or repair of a public water or wastewater system 
     unless all of the iron and steel products used in the project 
     are produced in the United States.
       (2) In this section, the term ``iron and steel products'' 
     means the following products made primarily of iron or steel: 
     lined or unlined pipes and fittings, manhole covers and other 
     municipal castings, hydrants, tanks, flanges, pipe clamps and 
     restraints, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast 
     concrete, and construction materials.
       (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or category 
     of cases in which the Secretary of Agriculture (in this 
     section referred to as the ``Secretary'') or the designee of 
     the Secretary finds that--
       (1) applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the 
     public interest;
       (2) iron and steel products are not produced in the United 
     States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or 
     of a satisfactory quality; or
       (3) inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the 
     United States will increase the cost of the overall project 
     by more than 25 percent.
       (c) If the Secretary or the designee receives a request for 
     a waiver under this section, the Secretary or the designee 
     shall make available to the public on an informal basis a 
     copy of the request and information available to the 
     Secretary or the designee

[[Page H4522]]

     concerning the request, and shall allow for informal public 
     input on the request for at least 15 days prior to making a 
     finding based on the request. The Secretary or the designee 
     shall make the request and accompanying information available 
     by electronic means, including on the official public 
     Internet Web site of the Department.
       (d) This section shall be applied in a manner consistent 
     with United States obligations under international 
     agreements.
       (e) The Secretary may retain up to 0.25 percent of the 
     funds appropriated in this Act for ``Rural Utilities 
     Service--Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account'' for 
     carrying out the provisions described in subsection (a)(1) 
     for management and oversight of the requirements of this 
     section.
       (f) Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a 
     project for which the engineering plans and specifications 
     include use of iron and steel products otherwise prohibited 
     by such subsection if the plans and specifications have 
     received required approvals from State agencies prior to the 
     date of enactment of this Act.
       (g) For purposes of this section, the terms ``United 
     States'' and ``State'' shall include each of the several 
     States, the District of Columbia, and each Federally 
     recognized Indian Tribe.
       Sec. 736.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act may 
     be used in any way, directly or indirectly, to influence 
     congressional action on any legislation or appropriation 
     matters pending before Congress, other than to communicate to 
     Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. 1913.
       Sec. 737.  None of the funds made available by this or any 
     other Act thereafter may be used to write, prepare, or 
     publish a proposed rule, final rule, or an interim final rule 
     in furtherance of, or otherwise to implement or enforce the 
     proposed rule entitled ``Transparency in Poultry Grower 
     Contracting and Tournaments,'' published by the Department of 
     Agriculture in the Federal Register on June 8, 2022 (87 Fed. 
     Reg. 34980 et seq.), the advance notice of proposed 
     rulemaking entitled ``Poultry Growing Tournament Systems: 
     Fairness and Related Concerns,'' published by the Department 
     of Agriculture in the Federal Register on June 8, 2022 (87 
     Fed. Reg. 34814) (also identified in the White House Office 
     of Management and Budget's Fall 2022 Unified Agenda of 
     Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions as ``Poultry Growing 
     Tournament Systems: Fairness and Related Concerns--Harm to 
     Competition (AMS-FTPP-22-0046),'' RIN 0581-AE18), the 
     proposed rule entitled ``Inclusive Competition and Market 
     Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act,'' published 
     by the Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on 
     October 3, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 60010 et seq.), the rulemaking 
     identified in the White House Office of Management and 
     Budget's Fall 2022 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and 
     Deregulatory Actions as ``Unfair Practices, Undue 
     Preferences, and Harm to Competition Under the Packers and 
     Stockyards Act (AMS-FTPP-21-0046),'' RIN 0581-AE04, or any 
     subsequent substantially similar rulemaking effort, except 
     that funds may be used to, and the Secretary of Agriculture 
     shall, withdraw or rescind any such proposed rules, advance 
     notices of proposed rulemaking, and any such rules that may 
     have been finalized.
       Sec. 738.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available to the U.S. Department of Agriculture may be used 
     to increase the number of positions in the Department 
     (measured on a full-time equivalent basis) for which the 
     primary duty station is located in the National Capital 
     Region unless otherwise specified in the report accompanying 
     this Act.
       (1) The term ``National Capital Region'' means the District 
     of Columbia; Montgomery and Prince George's Counties of 
     Maryland; and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William 
     Counties of Virginia.
       Sec. 739. (a) There is hereby appropriated $2,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended, for the Secretary of 
     Agriculture to carry out no more than 5 pilot projects, under 
     the terms and conditions determined by the Secretary for a 
     period not to exceed 3 years and without increasing household 
     benefit allotments as authorized by section 8 of the Food and 
     Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2017), that allow the use of 
     supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to 
     purchase only nutrient-dense foods and beverages (as defined 
     in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans), of which 
     1 or more of such projects shall be carried out before 
     December 21, 2024.
       (b) Not later than 6 months after the first pilot project 
     under subsection (a) begins, the Secretary shall enter into a 
     contract with the National Academies of Sciences, 
     Engineering, and Medicine to--
       (1) evaluate the pilot project or projects carried out 
     under subsection (a); and
       (2) provide the results of such evaluation not later than 
     18 months after the date of such contract.
       Sec. 740.  Of the total amounts made available by this Act 
     for direct loans and grants under the following headings: 
     ``Rural Housing Service--Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program 
     Account''; ``Rural Housing Service--Mutual and Self-Help 
     Housing Grants''; ``Rural Housing Service--Rural Housing 
     Assistance Grants''; ``Rural Housing Service--Rural Community 
     Facilities Program Account''; ``Rural Business-Cooperative 
     Service--Rural Business Program Account''; ``Rural Business-
     Cooperative Service--Rural Economic Development Loans Program 
     Account''; ``Rural Business-Cooperative Service--Rural 
     Cooperative Development Grants''; ``Rural Business-
     Cooperative Service--Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance 
     Program''; ``Rural Utilities Service--Rural Water and Waste 
     Disposal Program Account''; ``Rural Utilities Service--Rural 
     Electrification and Telecommunications Loans Program 
     Account''; and ``Rural Utilities Service--Distance Learning, 
     Telemedicine, and Broadband Program'', to the maximum extent 
     feasible, at least 10 percent of the funds shall be allocated 
     for assistance in persistent poverty counties under this 
     section, including, notwithstanding any other provision 
     regarding population limits, any county seat of such a 
     persistent poverty county that has a population that does not 
     exceed the authorized population limit by more than 10 
     percent:  Provided, That for purposes of this section, the 
     term ``persistent poverty counties'' means any county that 
     has had 20 percent or more of its population living in 
     poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 
     2000 decennial censuses, and 2007-2011 American Community 
     Survey 5-year average, or any territory or possession of the 
     United States:  Provided further, That with respect to 
     specific activities for which program levels have been made 
     available by this Act that are not supported by budget 
     authority, the requirements of this section shall be applied 
     to such program level.
       Sec. 741.  There is rescinded the unobligated balances of 
     amounts made available under section 1006 of the American 
     Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (7 U.S.C. 2279 note).
       Sec. 742.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to notify a sponsor or otherwise acknowledge receipt 
     of a submission for an exemption for investigational use of a 
     drug or biological product under section 505(i) of the 
     Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(i)) or 
     section 351(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     262(a)(3)) in research in which a human embryo is 
     intentionally created or modified to include a heritable 
     genetic modification. Any such submission shall be deemed to 
     have not been received by the Secretary, and the exemption 
     may not go into effect.
       Sec. 743.  None of the funds made available by this or any 
     other Act may be used to enforce the final rule promulgated 
     by the Food and Drug Administration entitled ``Standards for 
     the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for 
     Human Consumption,'' and published on November 27, 2015, with 
     respect to the regulation of entities that grow, harvest, 
     pack, or hold wine grapes, hops, pulse crops, or almonds.
       Sec. 744.  For school years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, none 
     of the funds made available by this Act may be used to 
     implement or enforce the matter following the first comma in 
     the second sentence of footnote (c) of section 220.8(c) of 
     title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, with respect to the 
     substitution of vegetables for fruits under the school 
     breakfast program established under section 4 of the Child 
     Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
       Sec. 745.  None of the funds made available by this Act or 
     any other Act may be used--
       (1) in contravention of section 7606 of the Agricultural 
     Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5940), subtitle G of the Agricultural 
     Marketing Act of 1946, or section 10114 of the Agriculture 
     Improvement Act of 2018; or
       (2) to prohibit the transportation, processing, sale, or 
     use of hemp, or seeds of such plant, that is grown or 
     cultivated in accordance with section 7606 of the 
     Agricultural Act of 2014 or subtitle G of the Agricultural 
     Marketing Act of 1946, within or outside the State in which 
     the hemp is grown or cultivated.
       Sec. 746.  The Secretary of Agriculture may waive the 
     matching funds requirement under section 412(g) of the 
     Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 
     1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632(g)).
       Sec. 747.  The Secretary, as part of the report on foreign 
     landholding required under the Agricultural Foreign 
     Investment Disclosure Act (Public Law 95-460), shall report 
     to Congress on foreign investments in agricultural land in 
     the United States, including the impact foreign ownership has 
     on family farms, rural communities, and the domestic food 
     supply:  Provided, That within 2 years after the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary shall establish a streamlined process 
     for electronic submission and retention of disclosures made 
     under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act, 
     including an internet database that contains disaggregated 
     data from each disclosure submitted:  Provided further,That 
     all prior year disclosures of foreign investments in 
     agricultural land in the United States are published in the 
     database:  Provided further, That the plan includes a process 
     to ensure the protection of personally identifiable 
     information and that all disclosures of foreign investments 
     in agricultural land on the USDA website be disaggregated by: 
     (1) in any case in which such foreign person is an 
     individual, the citizenship of such foreign person; and (2) 
     in any case in which such foreign person is not an individual 
     or a government, the nature of the legal entity holding the 
     interest, the country in which such foreign person is created 
     or organized, and the principal place of business of such 
     foreign person.
       Sec. 748.  There is rescinded the unobligated balances of 
     amounts made available under section 22006 of Public Law 117-
     169 (136 Stat. 2021).
       Sec. 749. (a) After the effective date of any final rule 
     FDA publishes in connection with its proposed rule to update 
     these requirements (87 Federal Register 59168, issued on

[[Page H4523]]

     September 29, 2022), manufacturers may also continue to 
     comply with the previous requirements promulgated by the FDA 
     for the implied nutrient content claim ``healthy'' through 
     the ``compliance date'' FDA provides in the final rule.
       (b) Any food product manufactured and labeled as 
     ``healthy'' during the compliance period FDA provides in that 
     final rule shall not be directly or indirectly subject to any 
     state-law requirements that are not identical to either (i) 
     the federal requirements for the implied nutrition content 
     claim ``healthy'' that were in effect as of the date FDA 
     issues the final rule, or (ii) the updated federal 
     requirements that FDA promulgates in the final rule, assuming 
     the updated requirements go into effect during the regulatory 
     compliance period.
       Sec. 750.  Funds made available under title II of the Food 
     for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.) may only be used to 
     provide assistance to recipient nations if adequate 
     monitoring and controls, as determined by the Administrator, 
     are in place to ensure that emergency food aid is received by 
     the intended beneficiaries in areas affected by food 
     shortages and not diverted for unauthorized or inappropriate 
     purposes.
       Sec. 751.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to procure raw or processed poultry products imported 
     into the United States from the People's Republic of China 
     for use in the school lunch program under the Richard B. 
     Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), 
     the Child and Adult Care Food Program under section 17 of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766), the Summer Food Service Program 
     for Children under section 13 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1761), 
     or the school breakfast program under the Child Nutrition Act 
     of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.).
       Sec. 752. (a) Subject to subsection (c), none of the funds 
     made available by this Act may be used to finalize, issue, 
     implement, administer, or enforce any rule, regulation, or 
     order that, pursuant to any revisions to the whole grain 
     requirements under section 246.10 of title 7, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, required by such rule, regulation, or order, 
     would reduce the availability of WIC-eligible breakfast 
     cereals, including the rule entitled ``Special Supplemental 
     Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): 
     Revisions to the WIC Food Packages'' published by the 
     Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on November 
     21, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 71090).
       (b) The Secretary of Agriculture shall carry out a study--
       (1) on the revisions of such whole grain requriements 
     pursuant to such rule; and
       (2) that is representative of all States.
       (c) If the study required under subsection (b) demonstrates 
     that such revisions will not limit consumption due to 
     marketplace availability or reduce the redemption of WIC-
     authorized breakfast cereal, beginning on the date on which 
     the Secretary publishes the results of such study, the 
     limitation under subsection (a) shall not apply.
       Sec. 753.  For school year 2024-2025, only a school food 
     authority that had a negative balance in the nonprofit school 
     food service account as of June 30, 2023, shall be required 
     to establish a price for paid lunches in accordance with 
     section 12(p) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(p)).
       Sec. 754.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be made available to support, directly or indirectly, the 
     Wuhan Institute of Virology, or any laboratory owned or 
     controlled by the governments of the People's Republic of 
     China, the Republic of Cuba, the Islamic Republic of Iran, 
     the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Russian 
     Federation, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela under the 
     regime of Nicolas Maduro Moros, or any other country 
     determined by the Secretary of State to be a foreign 
     adversary.
       Sec. 755.  Any funds made available by this or any other 
     Act that the Secretary withholds pursuant to section 
     1668(g)(2) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade 
     Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5921(g)(2)), as amended, shall be 
     available for grants for biotechnology risk assessment 
     research:  Provided, That the Secretary may transfer such 
     funds among appropriations of the Department of Agriculture 
     for purposes of making such grants.
       Sec. 756.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
     funds available to the Department of Agriculture may be used 
     to move any staff office or any agency from the mission area 
     in which it was located on August 1, 2018, to any other 
     mission area or office within the Department in the absence 
     of the enactment of specific legislation affirming such move.
       Sec. 757.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to carry out any program, project, or activity that 
     promotes or advances Critical Race Theory or any concept 
     associated with Critical Race Theory.
       Sec. 758.  The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the 
     Natural Resources Conservation Service, may use funds 
     appropriated under this Act or any other Act for the 
     Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program and the 
     Watershed Rehabilitation Program carried out pursuant to the 
     Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001 
     et seq.), and for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program 
     carried out pursuant to section 403 of the Agricultural 
     Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) to provide technical 
     services for such programs pursuant to section 1252(a)(1) of 
     the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3851(a)(1)), 
     notwithstanding subsection (c) of such section.
       Sec. 759.  In administering the pilot program established 
     by section 779 of division A of the Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141), the Secretary 
     of Agriculture may, for purposes of determining entities 
     eligible to receive assistance, consider those communities 
     which are ``Areas Rural in Character'':  Provided, That not 
     more than 10 percent of the funds made available under the 
     heading ``Distance Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband 
     Program'' for the purposes of the pilot program established 
     by section 779 of Public Law 115-141 may be used for this 
     purpose.
       Sec. 760.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel--
       (1) to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat 
     Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603);
       (2) to inspect horses under section 903 of the Federal 
     Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901 
     note; Public Law 104-127); or
       (3) to implement or enforce section 352.19 of title 9, Code 
     of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).
       Sec. 761. (a) The modifications made by the Food and Drug 
     Administration on January 3, 2023 to the risk evaluation and 
     mitigation strategy under section 505-1 of the Federal Food, 
     Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355-1) for mifepristone are 
     hereby nullified.
       (b) None of the funds made available by this Act may be 
     used to establish, implement, or enforce--
       (1) any provision of a risk evaluation and mitigation 
     strategy under section 505-1 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
     Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355-1) for mifepristone that is 
     substantially similar to any of the modifications nullified 
     by subsection (a); or
       (2) any non-enforcement or enforcement discretion policy 
     for any provision of a risk evaluation and mitigation 
     strategy under such section for mifepristone.
       Sec. 762.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be used by FDA to develop, issue, 
     promote, or advance any new guidelines or regulations 
     applicable to food manufacturers for population-wide sodium 
     reduction actions until the issuance of the 2025-2026 
     National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 
     survey that will show consumer sodium consumption after the 
     completion of the short-term sodium reduction targets.
       Sec. 763.  Within 60 days of enactment of this Act the 
     Secretary shall provide to the Committees a plan for 
     expenditure that accelerates the continued implementation and 
     expansion of the Farmers.gov application and the Enterprise 
     Data Analytics Platform and Toolset (EDAPT) to enable USDA 
     users to: (1) view their information, complete transactions, 
     quickly review the status, and update tabular customer 
     information; (2) submit applications for Farm Production and 
     Conservation programs and receive program payments for all 
     USDA farm programs; (3) to complete their own applications, 
     including electronic signatures and submission, for all farm 
     programs that require direct application; (4) enable 
     electronic income reporting between USDA and IRS; and (5) 
     transition acreage reporting, farm records mapping, and farm 
     records information to Farmers.gov: Provided, That the Farm 
     Production and Conservation Business Center shall provide a 
     roadmap for systems to be decommissioned and consolidated 
     with Farmers.gov and EDAPT including, but not limited to, the 
     Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) 
     programs, the Dairy Margin Coverage program, and the Farm 
     Service Agency Emergency Relief Program.
       Sec. 764.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this or any other Act may be used to implement, 
     administer, apply, enforce, or carry out Executive Order 
     13985 of January 20, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 7009, relating to 
     advancing racial equity and support for underserved 
     communities through the Federal Government), or the U.S. 
     Department of Agriculture's Equity Action Plan in Support of 
     Executive Order 13985, or any Equity Action Plan created by 
     the Food and Drug Administration, the Commodity Futures 
     Trading Commission, or the Farm Credit Administration, or 
     Executive Order 14035 of June 25, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 34593, 
     relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility 
     in the Federal workforce), or Executive Order 14091 of 
     February 16, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 10825, relating to further 
     advancing racial equity and support for underserved 
     communities through the Federal Government), or to create or 
     establish an Office of the Chief Diversity and Inclusion 
     Officer.
       Sec. 765.  The Secretary of Agriculture shall take such 
     actions as may be necessary to prohibit the purchase of 
     agricultural land located in the United States by non-
     resident aliens, foreign businesses, of any agent, trustee, 
     or fiduciary associated with Russia, North Korea, Iran, or 
     the Communist Party of China.
       Sec. 766.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this 
     Act and ending on the last day of school year 2024-2025, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture shall --
       (1) allow flavored, low-fat fluid milk to be served --
       (A) under the school lunch program established under the 
     Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 
     et seq.);
       (B) under the school breakfast program established under 
     the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.);

[[Page H4524]]

       (C) as a competitive food available on campus during the 
     school day; and
       (D) to children ages 5 years and older under the child and 
     adult care food program established under section 17 of the 
     Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1766); and
       (2) with respect to weekly sodium limitations to meals and 
     supplements served during such period under the school lunch 
     program established under the Richard B. Russell National 
     School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) --
       (A) exclude sodium used for food safety and functional 
     purposes in cheese-making, as determined by the Secretary in 
     consultation with the Commissioner of the Food and Drug 
     Administration; and
       (B) if a determination has not been made under subparagraph 
     (A), apply the Target 1 sodium levels included in the final 
     rule entitled ``Nutrition Standards in the National School 
     Lunch and School Breakfast Programs'' published by the 
     Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on January 
     26, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 4087).
       Sec. 767.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce any 
     rule that would reduce the maximum monthly allowance with 
     respect to milk under section 246.10 of title 7, Code of 
     Federal Regulations (as in effect on April 1, 2023), 
     including the rule entitled ``Special Supplemental Nutrition 
     Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions to 
     the WIC Food Packages'' published by the Department of 
     Agriculture in the Federal Register on November 21, 2022 (87 
     Fed. Reg. 71090).
       Sec. 768.  None of the funds provided by this Act or 
     provided from any accounts in the Treasury of the United 
     States derived by the collection of fees available to the 
     agencies funded by this Act, may be used by the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services to finalize, issue, implement, 
     administer, or enforce any rule, regulation, or order setting 
     a tobacco product standard that mandates a maximum nicotine 
     level for cigarettes.
       Sec. 769.  None of the funds provided by this Act, or 
     provided from any accounts in the Treasury of the United 
     States derived by the collection of fees available to the 
     agencies funded by this Act, may be used by the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services to finalize, issue, or implement 
     any rule, regulation, notice of proposed rulemaking, or order 
     setting any tobacco product standard that would prohibit 
     menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes or prohibit 
     characterizing flavors in all cigars and their components and 
     parts.
       Sec. 770.  In this fiscal year and each fiscal year 
     thereafter, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     none of the funds made available by this or any other Act may 
     be used to implement section 3.7(f) of the Farm Credit Act of 
     1971 in a manner inconsistent with section 343(a)(13) of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
       Sec. 771. (a) For an additional amount for the Office of 
     the Secretary, $2,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended, for the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out no 
     more than 10 pilot projects, under the terms and conditions 
     determined by the Secretary for a period not to exceed 2 
     years, that award grants to an Indian tribe; a tribal 
     organization approved by an Indian tribe; a tribal 
     educational agency; a consortium of Indian tribes; or a 
     partnership between an Indian tribe and either a State 
     educational agency, a local educational agency, a tribal 
     educational agency, or the Bureau of Indian Education to 
     operate and implement the school lunch program as authorized 
     by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1769), the summer food service program as established 
     under section 13 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
     Lunch Act, the child and adult care food program as 
     established by section 17 of the Richard B. Russell National 
     School Lunch Act, or the school breakfast program established 
     by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) in either 
     a Bureau-funded school (as defined in section 1141 of the 
     Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021)); a school (as 
     defined in section 12(d) of the Richard B. Russell National 
     School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760 (d)) on or near an Indian 
     reservation; or an early child care and education facility: 
     Provided, That to carry out this pilot program each grant 
     awarded shall be no less than $10,000 and no more than 
     $100,000 for each school year and shall not increase state 
     administrative costs or the amount of benefits provided in 
     any program: Provided further, That the term ``Indian tribe'' 
     has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian 
     Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
     5304).
       (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pilot 
     project grant recipient shall be reimbursed for meals served 
     under the school lunch program, the summer food service 
     program, and the child and adult care food program as if the 
     recipient were a State under the Richard B. Russell National 
     School Lunch Act; and under the school breakfast program as 
     if the recipient were a State educational agency.
       (c) Not later than 1 year after the conclusion of the pilot 
     program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
     the outcomes of the pilot program.
       Sec. 772.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used by the Secretary of Agriculture, the Commissioner of 
     Food and Drugs, the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading 
     Commission, or the Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration 
     to fly or display a flag over a facility of the Department of 
     Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Commodity 
     Futures Trading Commission, or the Farm Credit Administration 
     other than the flag of the United States; the flag of a 
     State, territory, or the District of Columbia; the flag of an 
     Indian Tribal Government; the official flag of a U.S. 
     Department or agency; or the POW/MIA flag.
       Sec. 773. (a) In general.--Notwithstanding section 7 of 
     title 1, United States Code, section 1738C of title 28, 
     United States Code, or any other provision of law, none of 
     the funds provided by this Act, or previous appropriations 
     Acts, shall be used in whole or in part to take any 
     discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially, 
     on the basis that such person speaks, or acts, in accordance 
     with a sincerely held religious belief, or moral conviction, 
     that marriage is, or should be recognized as, a union of one 
     man and one woman.
       (b) Discriminatory action defined.--As used in subsection 
     (a), a discriminatory action means any action taken by the 
     Federal Government to--
       (1) alter in any way the Federal tax treatment of, or cause 
     any tax, penalty, or payment to be assessed against, or deny, 
     delay, or revoke an exemption from taxation under section 
     501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 of, any person 
     referred to in subsection (a);
       (2) disallow a deduction for Federal tax purposes of any 
     charitable contribution made to or by such person;
       (3) withhold, reduce the amount or funding for, exclude, 
     terminate, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, any Federal 
     grant, contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, 
     guarantee, loan, scholarship, license, certification, 
     accreditation, employment, or other similar position or 
     status from or to such person;
       (4) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make 
     unavailable or deny, any entitlement or benefit under a 
     Federal benefit program, including admission to, equal 
     treatment in, or eligibility for a degree from an educational 
     program, from or to such person; or
       (5) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make 
     unavailable or deny access or an entitlement to Federal 
     property, facilities, educational institutions, speech fora 
     (including traditional, limited, and nonpublic fora), or 
     charitable fundraising campaigns from or to such person.
       (c) Accreditation; Licensure; Certification.--The Federal 
     Government shall consider accredited, licensed, or certified 
     for purposes of Federal law any person that would be 
     accredited, licensed, or certified, respectively, for such 
     purposes but for a determination against such person wholly 
     or partially on the basis that the person speaks, or acts, in 
     accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral 
     conviction described in subsection (a).
       Sec. 774.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used by the Food and Drug Administration to issue, 
     promote, or advance any new guideline or regulation 
     applicable to food manufacturers for Listeria monocytogenes 
     (Lm) until the Food and Drug Administration, based on the 
     available new science, incorporates into the Compliance 
     Policy Guide (CPG), Guidance for FDA Staff, Sec. 555.320, a 
     tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes in low-risk foods, 
     meaning foods that do not support the growth of Listeria 
     monocytogenes.
       Sec. 775.  The Secretary of Agriculture may not use 
     unobligated balances available under section 22002(a)(1) of 
     Public Law 117-169, after the application of the rescission 
     under section 722 of this Act, to award grants under section 
     9007 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 
     U.S.C. 8107).
       Sec. __. Each discretionary amount made available by this 
     Act is hereby reduced by 14.15 percent. Such reduction shall 
     not apply to the following amounts:
       (1) ``Domestic Food Programs--Food and Nutrition Service--
     Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, 
     and Children (WIC)''.
       (2) ``Foreign Assistance and Related Programs--Foreign 
     Agricultural Service--Food for Peace Title II Grants''.

                       spending reduction account

       Sec. 776.  $0.
       This division may be cited as the ``Agriculture, Rural 
     Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related 
     Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024''.

  The CHAIR. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as 
amended, are waived.
  No further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall be in order 
except those printed in part F of House Report 118-216, amendments en 
bloc described in section 12 of House Resolution 723, and pro forma 
amendments described in section 13 of that resolution.
  Each further amendment printed in part F of the report shall be 
considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only 
by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, 
shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided 
and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, may be withdrawn by 
the proponent at any time before action thereon, shall not be subject 
to amendment except as provided by section 13 of House Resolution 723, 
and

[[Page H4525]]

shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
  It shall be in order at any time for the chair of the Committee on 
Appropriations or her designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting 
of further amendments printed in part F of the report not earlier 
disposed of. Amendments en bloc shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or the 
designees, shall not be subject to amendment, except as provided by 
section 13 of House Resolution 723, and shall not be subject to a 
demand for division of the question.
  During consideration of the bill for amendment, the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective 
designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for 
the purpose of debate.


                Amendments En Bloc Offered by Mr. Harris

  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 723, I offer 
amendments en bloc.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
  Amendments en bloc consisting of amendment Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 
28, 30, 31, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50, 58, 59, 60, and 63, 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216, offered by Mr. Harris of 
Maryland:


            AMENDMENT NO. 1 OFFERED BY MS. BALINT OF VERMONT

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000) (reduced by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 2 OFFERED BY MR. VALADAO OF CALIFORNIA

       Page 3, line 14, after the second dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


           AMENDMENT NO. 3 OFFERED BY MR. STEIL OF WISCONSIN

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $500,000)''.
       Page 9, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $500,000)''.


      AMENDMENT NO. 4 OFFERED BY MS. LEGER FERNANDEZ OF NEW MEXICO

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,975,000)''.
       Page 3, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,975,000)''.
       Page 7, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,975,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 5 OFFERED BY MS. PORTER OF CALIFORNIA

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 3, line 14, after the second dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 13, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


            AMENDMENT NO. 6 OFFERED BY MS. SEWELL OF ALABAMA

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 3, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 3, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 46, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 46, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 7 OFFERED BY MS. PETTERSEN OF COLORADO

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $3,249,000)''.
       Page 29, line 15, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,249,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 8 OFFERED BY MS. PETTERSEN OF COLORADO

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $4,002,000)''.
       Page 34, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $4,002,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 9 OFFERED BY MRS. BOEBERT OF COLORADO

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 7, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.


       AMENDMENT NO. 10 OFFERED BY MR. EDWARDS OF NORTH CAROLINA

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''
       Page 58, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


       AMENDMENT NO. 11 OFFERED BY MR. EDWARDS OF NORTH CAROLINA

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 9, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 12 OFFERED BY MRS. BOEBERT OF COLORADO

       Page 3, line 14, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 15, line 8, after first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 15, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 13 OFFERED BY MR. MOLINARO OF NEW YORK

       Page 5, line 18, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 6, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 6, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 13, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.


             AMENDMENT NO. 14 OFFERED BY MR. MILLER OF OHIO

       Page 5, line 18, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 42, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 16 OFFERED BY MRS. BOEBERT OF COLORADO

       Page 6, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 53, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 54, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 17 OFFERED BY MRS. BOEBERT OF COLORADO

       Page 6, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 53, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 18 OFFERED BY MS. JACKSON LEE OF TEXAS

       Page 6, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 6, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 11, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.


            AMENDMENT NO. 19 OFFERED BY MS. ESCOBAR OF TEXAS

       Page 6, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 6, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 40, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 20 OFFERED BY MRS. BOEBERT OF COLORADO

       Page 6, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 6, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,500,000)''
       Page 11, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 21 OFFERED BY MR. MOLINARO OF NEW YORK

       Page 6, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 50, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 22 OFFERED BY MS. CARAVEO OF COLORADO

       Page 6, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 44, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 23 OFFERED BY MS. CARAVEO OF COLORADO

       Page 6, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 13, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


     AMENDMENT NO. 25 OFFERED BY MS. LEGER FERNANDEZ OF NEW MEXICO

       Page 7, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $7,000,000)''.
       Page 32, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $7,000,000)''.


           Amendment No. 26 Offered by Mr. Neguse of Colorado

       Page 7, line 8, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


        amendment no. 27 offered by mr. johnson of south dakota

       Page 7, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,500,000)''.
       Page 11, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,500,000)''.


          amendment no. 28 offered by mrs. boebert of colorado

       Page 7, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 46, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 47, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.


          amendment no. 30 offered by ms. perez of washington

       Page 9, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


          amendment no. 31 offered by ms. perez of washington

       Page 9, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by 
     $1,000,000)''.


          amendment no. 34 offered by ms. slotkin of michigan

       Page 13, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $10,000,000) (increased by $10,000,000)''.


          amendment no. 35 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       Page 13, line 13, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000) (reduced by $5,000,000)''.


        amendment no. 37 offered by mrs. fischbach of minnesota

       Page 15, line 8, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 16, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,500,000)''.

[[Page H4526]]

       Page 63, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 66, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,500,000)''.


          amendment no. 39 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       Page 28, line 13, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $10,000,000) (increased by $10,000,000)''.


           amendment no. 40 offered by mr. raskin of maryland

       Page 29, line 15, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $8,500,000) (increased by $8,500,000)''.


        amendment no. 44 offered by ms. houlahan of pennsylvania

       Page 42, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000) (reduced by $1,000,000)''.


            amendment no. 46 offered by ms. escobar of texas

       Page 44, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $75,000,000) (increased by $75,000,000)''.


          amendment no. 47 offered by ms. caraveo of colorado

       Page 50, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $10,000,000) (increased by $10,000,000)''.


            AMENDMENT NO. 49 OFFERED BY MS. ESCOBAR OF TEXAS

       Page 52, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $30,000,000) (increased by $30,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 50 OFFERED BY MR. MOLINARO OF NEW YORK

       Page 60, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $10,000,000) (increased by $10,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 58 OFFERED BY MRS. KIGGANS OF VIRGINIA

       Page 63, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000) (reduced by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 59 OFFERED BY MRS. KIGGANS OF VIRGINIA

       Page 63, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000) (reduced by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 60 OFFERED BY MR. MOLINARO OF NEW YORK

       Page 65, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,800,000) (increased by $2,800,000)''.


        AMENDMENT NO. 63 OFFERED BY MR. GOTTHEIMER OF NEW JERSEY

       Page 81, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 81, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $3,000,000)''.

  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Harris) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) each 
will control 10 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I rise in favor of this amendment. This is the 
bipartisan amendment, which includes priorities for Members on both 
sides of the aisle. I appreciate Ranking Member Bishop working with us 
on this amendment and ask for your support.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this 
amendment. This amendment includes 42 amendments--5 bipartisan, 17 
Republican, 20 Democratic.
  The agriculture funding bill has historically been a bipartisan bill, 
and we will need to channel that same cooperation if my colleagues want 
to pass appropriations bills into law.
  Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for offering the amendments and his 
cooperation in having this bipartisan en bloc amendment, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman 
from Vermont (Ms. Balint).
  Ms. BALINT. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the en bloc amendment, 
which includes my amendment to support Vermont's recovery from this 
summer's catastrophic flooding.
  Vermont farmers are hurting. With government funding running out on 
Saturday, the Republicans' Agriculture appropriations bill is too 
little too late. Vermont's recovery needs are urgent.
  My amendment urges USDA to ensure disaster assistance is deployed as 
quickly as possible.
  It has been a rough year in Vermont. Vermont producers have sustained 
millions and millions of dollars in damages, impacting nearly 30,000 
acres of land.
  Vermont's farmers are essentially the heart of our communities, the 
fabric of our State, and I will do everything in my power to make sure 
they have the resources they need to make sure that they are able to 
recover and build back better from this horrible flooding.
  A government shutdown would be devastating for Vermont and other 
States like mine that are recovering from disasters this summer. 
Vermonters need Federal recovery dollars to continue to flow so that 
towns and households can get back on their feet. We must turn our 
attention to serious matters.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Bishop) and Mr. Harris for working together.
  Every time I come to the floor, Mr. Chair, I am going to say that I 
do not want a government shutdown, having been through them and seen 
the desperation that comes upon the American people, and I will do 
everything I can that is within reason to make sure we do not have it.
  As I present this amendment and thank the committee for allowing this 
amendment to be included, I have to take note of the cuts in SNAP 
benefits, the funding cuts in rural electric cooperatives, and the 
shocking cuts in WIC. That is what I think has to be fixed, so the 
American people are aware.
  I am grateful that my amendment, the Jackson Lee amendment No. 18, 
increases funding that provides grant research and financial support 
for the 1890s land grant universities, which are 28 historically Black 
colleges and universities. This amendment would decrease funding in 
another account.
  The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Council of 
1890s includes all the historically Black colleges under the Morrill 
Act of 1890. At least 19 universities have been designated.
  The importance of this is how crucial it is to engage our 
universities in research and, in particular, the National Science 
Foundation. It strengthens the training of our young people. It 
provides them with the doors to opportunity. Research is the economy of 
the 21st century. Increasing funding for the United States Department 
of Agriculture that provides grant research would help to stimulate 
sustainable improvement in research and development.
  Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment 
that supports education and research in historically Black colleges.
  Mr. Chair, I rise to speak in support of the Jackson Lee Amendment, 
listed as No. 18 in Harris (MD)--EN BLOC No. 1 to H.R. 4368, the 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies Act of 2024.
  I want to thank my colleagues on the Rules Committee for making this 
amendment in order.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment [No. 18 in Harris (MD)--EN BLOC No. 1] 
increases funding that provides grant research financial support for 
``1890s Land Grant Universities,'' which are 28 Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities.
  This amendment also proposes decreasing funding for Office of the 
Chief Information Officer.
  The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities' (APLU) Council 
of 1890s includes all Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
(HBCUs) that are land-grant universities.
  Under the Morrill Act of 1890, at least 19 universities have been 
designated with land-grant status.
  The Historically Black Colleges and Universities--Excellence in 
Research HBCU-EiR program was established in response to direction 
provided in the Senate Commerce and Justice, Science and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Report (Senate Report 115-139).
  That initiative was built on prior and continuing efforts by the 
National Science Foundation (NSF) to strengthen research capacity at 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  The Jackson Lee Amendment [No. 18 in Harris (MD)--EN BLOC No. 1] 
would provide sufficient funding and guidance to enable the NSF to be 
successful with the HBCU Excellence in Research program.
  This amendment would further provide opportunities for both public 
and private HBCUs, particularly for those who have not been successful 
in competing with larger NSF Research & Related Activities.

[[Page H4527]]

  Increasing Funding for the United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) agency that provides grant research would help to stimulate 
sustainable improvement in research and development capacities of 
HBCUs.
  By increasing funding for relevant agencies that provide appropriate 
financial support for these historically underserved institutions, we 
can ensure that federal funds are redirected toward more critical 
funding needs of the American people.
  For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of the 
Jackson Lee Amendment [No. 18 in Harris (MD)--EN BLOC No. 1].

                              {time}  2130

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman 
from Washington (Ms. Perez).
  Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Chair, I rise today to urge the support of two of my 
amendments in this bipartisan en bloc.
  My first amendment supports farmers and healthy soils by asking the 
USDA to conduct research on the amount of microplastics in farmland.
  Microplastics are showing up everywhere: in our bodies, in our 
waters, and our soils. My amendment would support efforts to understand 
microplastics and support healthy soil, which is essential for our 
farming communities and our agricultural sector.
  My second amendment is the idea that the USDA should be able to fix 
its own stuff. We shouldn't waste taxpayer dollars on tractors and 
other farm equipment that cannot be repaired easily--and by USDA 
technicians--when it breaks.
  My amendment allows the USDA to be better stewards of taxpayer 
dollars and supports the longevity of the equipment they use to perform 
groundbreaking research.
  Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support my amendment.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez).
  Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this en bloc 
amendment which includes two of my amendments.
  The USDA Office of Tribal Relations serves as the vital, single point 
of contact for our rural communities as they work through what is 
available for them. As we know, our Tribal communities are rural, and 
they must have access to the USDA Office of Tribal Relations.
  My amendment No. 4 would restore funding levels for the USDA Office 
of Tribal Relations. Separately, my amendment No. 25 would increase 
funding to USDA Rural Development by $7 million to use these funds to 
improve its oversight of the Section 515 loan program for Rural Rental 
Housing.
  Outrageously, in my district, three of these properties have 
experienced serious management and maintenance issues. The city of 
Espanola even condemned a property recently. This has left residents in 
unsafe conditions. USDA needs the necessary research to make sure its 
properties are livable.
  Mr. Chair, while I am in favor of this en bloc, I must state again my 
opposition to the appropriations bill itself. I previously stood on 
this floor in opposition to the severe cuts to our rural communities. 
We must prioritize our rural communities, not cut them to 2007 levels.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, but I am opposed to the 
bill itself.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendments en bloc offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris).
  The en bloc amendments were agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 15 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 15 printed in 
part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 5, line 18, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $11,404,000)''.
       Page 5, line 24, strike the period at the end and insert 
     the following: ``: Provided further, That no reduction in 
     such amount shall be made from funds appropriated to the 
     Office of Pest Management Policy within the Office of the 
     Chief Economist.''
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $11,404,000)''.

  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to restore 
funding for the USDA Office of Chief Economist to fiscal year 2016 
levels, which will save us more than $11 million in 2024.
  Now, what is interesting, I have been listening to my colleagues 
across the aisle saying that it is going to 2001 levels. They don't 
want 2000 levels. This goes to 2016 levels, so I am hoping that they 
will support this because our annual discretionary spending has 
exploded over the course of the COVID-19 response.
  No one thought our government was too small before COVID. We are 
currently spending $400 billion more in fiscal 2023 for the same 
government we had before, and deficits for this year are expected to 
exceed $2 trillion.
  That is why we have a $33 trillion national debt, and that does not 
even include the $600-$700 billion in interest that we pay.
  Revenue in fiscal year 2022 levels far exceeded our Federal spending 
in fiscal year 2016, meaning that if we were to shrink the Federal 
behemoth back to those pre-COVID levels, we might be able to avoid 
adding to our national debt for the next 12 months.
  This is the first of many amendments that I will be offering to 
appropriations bills this week intended to reduce spending. My staff 
and I spent countless hours earlier this year reviewing the prior 
year's appropriations bills and making recommendations to the Committee 
on Appropriations. I even filed 521 separate bills to cut spending 
across the discretionary budget totaling $100 billion in spending 
reductions for fiscal year 2024.
  I am not singling any one office or department out here. We need to 
tighten our belts across the Federal Government in order to get 
spending under control.
  I will just ask you: How bad is the national debt crisis? The 12 
regional Federal Reserve Banks that compose the largest central bank in 
the world have a monopoly on printing paper dollars. It is the world's 
reserve currency. Yet, its ability to print money and invest it in 
bonds, the Federal Reserve is now on pace to lose over $100 billion 
this year.
  They lost $53 billion in the last two quarters. They are going to 
lose over $100 billion.
  Why is that? Because Federal spending is out of control. If we are 
not going to fix it, who is going to fix it? Who is going to start 
fixing it? It is our job.
  Mr. Chair, I urge the adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this 
amendment. The amendment would cut funding for the Office of the Chief 
Economist by an additional 46 percent. That is almost half.
  The Office of the Chief Economist provides advice and counsel to the 
Secretary on matters affecting the economy with respect to the 
Agriculture Department. This bill already guts funding for USDA. Any 
further cuts just make a bad bill worse.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to defeat this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I congratulate the gentleman, because the 
gentleman brings an amendment to the floor that does something with the 
$2 trillion budget deficit. He is right, we have a $33 trillion debt. 
Our interest payments in a few years are going to be over $1 trillion--
more than Social Security, more than Medicare, more than Medicaid, more 
than food stamps, more than all of them.
  One fact check before I sit down. Now we heard it was FY 2007, so I 
guess the

[[Page H4528]]

speechwriters can't make up their minds. Is it FY 2000, 2001, 2003? Now 
it is 2007.
  I would remind the Chair, the spending level in the 2007 bill was 
$17.8 billion, and that is almost $5 billion less than what we 
appropriate in this bill.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this is a bad amendment. It is 
bad for the country. It is bad for the USDA.
  Mr. Chair, I urge defeat of this amendment, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, for the last while I have heard my 
colleagues across the aisle, they were talking about costs, that 
Republicans want to cut costs, and that we always talk about costs.
  Here is my question: What could they do? They are the ones who 
fostered this massive inflation on us that is imposing terrible, 
terrible costs on the American people.
  The first thing they could do is they could unleash American energy. 
When you unleash American energy, you reduce the price of the fuels 
that are necessary for the farmers to produce our food. You reduce the 
cost of the transports to bring that food to market, and you make our 
cost structure go down.
  That is not necessarily inflation, because the other thing you have 
to do to bring inflation under control is to bring Federal spending 
under control.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge the adoption of my amendment, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, when you cut the energy 
assistance programs for our farmers and our rural communities, you 
raise the cost of their production. When you raise the cost of their 
production, you raise the cost of the products they produce to put on 
the shelves of the grocery stores. This is not a good thing, so I urge 
the defeat of this amendment, and I urge the defeat of this bill.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  The amendment was agreed to.


            Amendment No. 24 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 24 printed in 
part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 6, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,789,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,789,000)''.

  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, here we are trying to fund our government for the year 
at a time when we have $33 trillion in national debt and we are on 
track for a $2 trillion deficit this year, and so we are literally 
borrowing some $2 trillion to fund the government this year. It is 
incumbent upon us to be careful with how we spend hard-earned taxpayer 
dollars.
  Mr. Speaker, within that context, the Biden administration continues 
to weaponize every level of the Federal Government, abusing their power 
to push their harmful leftist agenda on Federal employees and the 
American people.
  Exhibit A would be the Department of Defense abortion travel policy 
which violates current law, but this harm that is being done to the 
American people by this administration manifests itself in other ways, 
as well. The Biden administration continues pushing diversity, equity, 
and inclusion policies through all Federal agencies largely enforced by 
the Office of Civil Rights.
  My amendment would reduce funding for the Office of Civil Rights 
within the USDA by 50 percent, permitting necessary functions to 
continue but sending a much-needed message on behalf of the American 
people that they cannot use their taxpayer dollars to implement their 
radical leftist agenda.
  DEI initiatives promote hiring quotas rather than merit-based 
policies for selection and promotion. The Federal Government should be 
hiring and firing--now there is a concept for the Federal Government.
  The Federal Government should be hiring and firing employees based on 
the quality of their performance or lack thereof, not based on the 
color of their skin or the gender they claim to be identifying as on 
whatever particular day.
  My amendment cuts a little over $8 million. When we have $33 trillion 
in national debt and we are on track for a $2 trillion deficit, my 
amendment would cut a little over $8 million from the Department so 
that taxpayer dollars can be appropriately used rather than promoting 
the leftist radical agenda of the Biden administration.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this 
amendment.
  The CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, this amendment would cut funding 
for the Office of Civil Rights at USDA by an additional 19 percent. The 
bill already guts funding for USDA. Any further cuts would just make a 
bad bill worse.
  The Office of Civil Rights at USDA is there for one purpose, and that 
is to make sure that every American has an equal opportunity to access 
the programs of USDA regardless of race, regardless of gender, 
regardless of national origin.
  USDA over the past decades has been required to pay billions of 
dollars to folks who were stakeholders who were denied equal 
opportunities to access these programs. If we cut this, we will be 
hamstringing the ability of USDA to do the right thing. We want to stop 
this before it spreads. It has already done too much damage to access 
for minorities, for women, and for various ethnic minorities, so we 
must fund this office.
  I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment. It is another 
amendment that does nothing to serve farmers, nothing to serve rural 
America, and it has no place in this bill. We should fund the USDA in a 
way that makes its programs accessible and available to every single 
American.
  Mr. Chair, I urge that this amendment be rejected, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2145

  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, the justification of the gentleman 
from Georgia just enumerated there is already protected by law. It is 
already illegal to discriminate on the basis that he is talking about 
there. Thanks to the Supreme Court, we are moving to a post-
discrimination society. We are going to no longer discriminate based on 
race. The Supreme Court is moving us that way in education. We ought to 
be doing it with the Office of Civil Rights in the USDA, as well.
  We should be using taxpayer dollars for those farmers and programs 
that actually benefit the American people and have the highest return 
or at least a return and one that is not harmful for the American 
people.
  If the Office of Civil Rights were simply ensuring that people were 
protected as required by law, again, there wouldn't be a problem, but 
the Biden administration has subverted these types of offices to 
promote their divisive radical leftist agenda.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia has the only time remaining.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, the Biden administration has 
completely lost touch with the idea of hiring and firing people 
according to their performance and the work that they do, and instead 
wants to base those decisions on a person's immutable characteristics 
and achieving quotas in the name of equity.
  My amendment will hold these individuals accountable to simply do 
their jobs instead of promoting a radical agenda and wasting taxpayer 
dollars--again, dollars that are borrowed from our kids and grandkids.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in support of my amendment, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good).

[[Page H4529]]

  The question was taken; and the Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on 
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 29 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 29 printed in 
part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 8, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $12,996,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $12,996,000)''.

  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which 
restores funding for the National Agricultural Statistics Service to 
the fiscal year 2019 level. That would result in nearly $13 million to 
deficit reduction in fiscal year 2024.
  Annual discretionary spending, I won't go through that again, what I 
said last time.
  Revenue in fiscal year 2022 levels actually exceeded our Federal 
spending in fiscal year 2019, meaning that if we were to shrink the 
Federal behemoth back to those pre-COVID levels, we might be able to 
avoid adding to our national debt for the next 12 months.
  Now, I want to continue on why this is so doggone important that we 
take care of this. The proposed funding level for the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service is a 7.6 percent increase over the 
fiscal year 2019 level. So we are actually bumping it slightly above 
the 2019 level, but we are getting right back to the pre-COVID levels.
  Now, let's talk about this for a second. My colleagues across the 
aisle--I actually heard one of them say in talking about the underlying 
bill, the main bill, that the Federal Government needed to ``meet the 
needs of every American.'' I want you to think about what that says. 
The Federal Government meets the needs of every American.
  Who determines what that need is and who pays for that need? Well, 
our grandchildren must be the ones that they think are going to pay for 
the current needs because we are borrowing $2 trillion this year; and 
it will be more than that next year. We are paying interest about $700 
billion in 2023. It will be more than that next year.
  Let's talk about the Fed again. I mention the Fed just so people can 
understand that the Fed has now put itself in a precarious position. We 
always used the Fed. We counted on it--those who wanted to grow 
government did. They believed in modern monetary theory, that the Fed 
could just keep printing money, no inflation would result, just money 
grows on trees, and that we could supply every American with every need 
that they might have.
  So you use the central bank to keep interest rates really low. That 
made private borrowers really happy because they could service 
government debt inexpensively.
  But what happened? COVID happened, right? And trillions of dollars 
flooded our economy, and when those trillions of dollars flooded our 
economy, it devalued our currency and caused inflation to go up because 
those were nonproductive dollars.
  What did the Democrats do last year--because they didn't get their 
act together on budgeting--they passed a couple of CRs, which led 
ultimately to the omnibus bill, and that flooded money in there--after 
COVID was long gone. They added to the inflationary pressures.
  I am going to continue this, but for now, Mr. Chair, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
this amendment.
  The CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to 
this amendment. It will cut funding for the Natural Agricultural 
Statistics Service and the Census of Agriculture by an additional 8 
percent.
  This bill already cuts too much funding from USDA, and any further 
cuts, again, will make a bad bill worse.
  The Office of National Agricultural Statistics Service and the Census 
of Agriculture serve very important functions.
  The American people need to know--we need to know what we grow; we 
need to know who is producing what we grow; we need to know where it is 
grown; we need to know what the country will need.
  This office provides very important data that informs us; it informs 
governmental entities; it informs our private sector; it informs the 
consumers. We don't need any more cuts here.
  I urge Members to defeat this amendment, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, let's talk some more about the Fed and why we 
are in a world of hurt and why we have to start reducing spending and 
funding.
  We can't fund every project, everything around the world and even in 
our own country. We send hundreds of billions of dollars out of this 
country.
  Guess what, when the Fed bought $4.7 trillion in additional assets, 
$2.5 trillion of that was in mortgage-backed securities, and they 
invested in long-term loans. Then, as inflation pressures up, they kept 
increasing the prime rate. They are now expecting another increase in 
the interest rate within the next 2 months. We will have to pay that 
debt service. That will contribute to the inflationary pressure that we 
have.
  When you screw up your energy policy and you screw up your Federal 
funding policy, the American people suffer, and they suffer through 
higher costs due to inflation. That is a hidden tax.
  That is why I keep trying to find ways, line items where we can 
actually provide services but we can reduce the Federal spending to at 
least make some rational nod toward bringing us back to some sound 
funding policy, something we haven't seen here in ages.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  The question was taken; and the Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on 
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona will be postponed.
  The Chair understands that amendment No. 32 will not be offered.


                 Amendment No. 33 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 33 printed in 
part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 11, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $157,572,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $157,572,000)''.

  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to restore 
funding to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to fiscal 
year 2019 levels.
  This amendment would direct $157 million to deficit reduction in 
fiscal year 2024.
  Let's talk about this. I have been talking all night about the 
precarious position our economy is in. I am often baffled by this. I 
view it as an existential threat, and you know what, bipartisan we have 
seen national security leaders of this country say our biggest threat 
is our national debt.
  Every year we have a structural deficit. This year we thought it was 
going to be about $1.7 trillion. CBO revised it to north of $2 
trillion, and that is what it is going to be next year.
  The National Institute of Food and Agriculture has made a habit of 
disseminating grant funding to organizations intent on perpetuating 
societal

[[Page H4530]]

division in the United States. These include things like a $350,000 
funding grant to a Soros-funded nonprofit promoting ``equity'' in 
community food development projects, another $1.4 million in funds for 
organizations to advance ``food justice'' in California, and funding to 
colleges seeking to ``enhance diversity'' in food economics.
  The proposed funding level that is made for the National Institute of 
Food and Agriculture is a 17 percent increase over the fiscal year 2019 
level.
  This reduction I propose in my amendment would ensure that taxpayer 
dollars are properly focused on activities related to food and crop 
development. That is what this agency is supposed to be doing, not 
wokeifying the money that we give to it.
  Well, I want everyone to support this amendment, and I am going 
continue my talk about our precarious position, which is an existential 
crisis to the United States.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in very strong opposition to 
this amendment.
  Cutting funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture by 
an additional 17 percent is penny-wise and pound-foolish.
  The bill already guts funding for USDA, but the NIFA, the National 
Institute for Food and Agriculture provides grants for research to our 
colleges and universities, and particularly the 1890s institutions that 
were created under the Second Morrill Act.
  This is a very useful agency. It provides essential research, the 
tool that keeps American agriculture on the cutting edge. In America, 
we produce the safest, the highest quality of food and fiber anywhere 
in the industrialized world, and we do it because we fund research.
  Our research is cutting edge. Why would we cut it by 17 percent? We 
need research like we never needed it before because of the climate 
challenges that we are facing. We have got challenges that we must 
overcome in order to continue to produce the food to feed the people in 
this country and around the world.
  This research is essential, and we need to continue to fund it. We 
don't need this 17 percent cut.
  I urge the defeat of this amendment. Let's defeat this amendment, and 
let's pass a useful bill that is responsible that meets the needs of 
the American people and the American producers.
  Mr. Chair, I urge that this amendment be defeated, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, over the course of this evening during the 
debate of the underlying bill it was referred to as being heartless and 
disrespectful. This amendment was referred to as being disrespectful, 
as a matter of fact.
  This is what I would tell you: You know what is heartless? Heartless 
is putting our Nation and wrapping it up with flax and cords that we 
will not soon be able to get out of with constant perpetual debt.
  You see inflation, inflation is going to keep going. Inflation is 
going to keep going because we don't have a great energy policy and we 
have a terrible Federal spending problem.
  We heard on the underlying bill, hey, you know what, we should just 
raise more taxes. That is what we should be doing. But you know what, 
we had record revenue, record revenue, and guess what, we continued to 
increase our structural deficit, which leads to a greater national debt 
problem.

                              {time}  2200

  It isn't that Americans aren't paying enough in taxes. It is a 
fundamental spending problem. It gets back to what I have been talking 
about, this modern monetary theory. You heard it just a minute ago. We 
need to take care of the needs of everybody. Who pays for that? It is 
obviously not going to be the American people who are living right now. 
Maybe it is going to be some who are living right now.
  We can't fundamentally afford the government my leftist colleagues 
across the aisle continue to promote. That is what they want. They want 
massive government. They want government that controls every aspect of 
everybody's life. Then, they say, that will meet the needs of 
everybody.
  That is not enough. They have to open the southern border, as well. 
By the time the Biden administration leaves, you will have 10 million 
encounters at the border. That won't include the got-aways, both known 
and unknown, which already, under the Biden administration, exceed 2\1/
2\ million people.
  How are you going to pay for that? They never want to tell you how 
they are going to pay for it because they have no concept of what is 
facing this country.
  Mr. Chair, I urge the adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  The question was taken; and the Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on 
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona will be postponed.
  The Chair understands that amendment No. 36 will not be offered.


                 Amendment No. 38 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 38 printed in 
part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 22, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $14,952,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $14,952,000)''.

  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to restore 
funding to the Farm Production Conservation Business Center to fiscal 
2019 levels. That is right: Take it back to pre-COVID levels.
  This amendment would direct nearly $15 million to deficit reduction 
in fiscal year 2024. My staff and I, earlier in the year, introduced 
many bills trying to take a line-item approach to the budget to try to 
reduce spending, to try to bring us back into some rationality, and 
this is one of the places we found.
  The proposed funding level for the Farm Production Conservation 
Business Center is a nearly 7 percent increase over fiscal year 2019 
levels.
  The Farm Production Conservation Business Center is a fairly new 
office within the Department of Agriculture and is intended to support 
the agency's farmer-facing components. Under the Biden administration, 
the agency is pushing out taxpayer-funded climate alarmism and 
messaging to outline how USDA is advancing equity by providing 
increased financial assistance to historically underserved groups.
  The spending reduction in this amendment would ensure that the 
business center is not abusing its farmer-facing role to promote 
divisive ideology, as the Biden regime is trying to do, but instead 
focuses its resources on serving agriculture producers.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Issa). The gentleman is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, these amendments just go to 
undermine the ability of USDA to do what it is supposed to do for the 
American people.
  This is another amendment that cuts funding, and if you keep cutting 
funding, you will totally make this agency unable to deliver on its 
promises to the American people.
  Mr. Chair, it is a bad amendment. It is a cut that doesn't need to 
happen. I urge opposition, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I have to say, I am actually baffled a little 
bit because it is like we are on the other side of an ocean, an ocean 
separates us. I never hear my colleagues say that they want to reduce 
spending on any program. I never hear it. Instead, they

[[Page H4531]]

want to continually propose big spending programs that we simply don't 
have money for, and then they want to do something that is actually 
self-defeating by increasing taxes.
  We have significant revenue. We just outspend the revenue. We 
outspend it every time.
  What happened after COVID? Well, I am proposing we go back to pre-
COVID levels. What happened during COVID is that the Federal Reserve 
had to auction so many treasuries it really had to begin offering 
higher rates. What did that do? That fueled higher rates.
  Now, with rates so much higher, the bank is now forced to borrow 
against all its prior lending, all its prior investments, which they 
did at like 1 percent. Now, we are sitting at 5.3 percent.
  When you are doing bonds, Mr. Chair, and you know this as well as 
anybody, your value of your asset has decreased. That is what has 
happened, and it puts us in massive economic jeopardy. We have to 
acknowledge that.
  That is the reason that the Fed has incurred a net loss of $53.5 
billion on interest expense, a trend that is going to continue in this 
quarter.
  Mr. Chair, I include in the Record an article by Daniel Horowitz from 
September 26, 2023.

     [From Blaze Media/Opinion & Analysis/Opinion, Sept. 26, 2023]

        Horowitz: When Money Printers Can No Longer Print Money

                          (By Daniel Horowitz)

       Just how bad is the national debt crisis? The 12 regional 
     Federal Reserve Banks that compose the largest central bank 
     in the world have a monopoly on printing paper dollars, the 
     world's reserve currency. Yet despite its ability to print 
     paper and then invest it in bonds, the Federal Reserve is now 
     on pace to lose money on its own scheme to the tune of over 
     $100 billion this year.
       Thus, the great bailout institution of last resort has now 
     itself become a further drain on the federal treasury.
       Until recently, the Federal Reserve was the ace in the hole 
     for the governing elites who wanted to grow weaponized 
     government on the cheap. The central bank was able to keep 
     interest rates extremely low, which made private borrowers 
     happy but also serviced government debt inexpensively. And by 
     using maturity transformation to borrow short and lend long, 
     the central bank could turn a profit by lending at higher 
     rates of interest than it borrowed. The net profit was always 
     deposited into the rapacious accounts of the Treasury 
     Department to offset a portion of its ballooning debt.
       Then came COVID.
       COVID ended the Ponzi scheme. In its attempt to permanently 
     control our lives, the Federal Reserve was forced to pay for 
     the lockdowns and ultimately lost control of the money 
     laundering operation. In order to service the debt, the Fed 
     in less than a year purchased $4.7 trillion in additional 
     assets, including $2.5 trillion in mortgage-backed 
     securities. Central bankers invested this money in the form 
     of long-term loans locked in at very low rates.
       Then came the inevitable inflation driven by this very 
     COVID spending.
       The Federal Reserve was forced to auction so many 
     Treasuries on the market that it had to begin offering higher 
     rates. Many would also argue that Federal Reserve Chairman 
     Jerome Powell raised the federal funds rate too quickly under 
     the false premise that it would stem the tide of the 
     inflation it created.
       Well, now with interest rates so much higher, the bank is 
     forced to borrow high against all of its prior lending 
     (investments), which was at a much lower rate. We now have 
     the ultimate inversion, which is causing severe deficits. In 
     just the first two quarters of 2023, the Fed has incurred a 
     net loss of $53.5 billion on interest expense, a trend that 
     will only be exacerbated with higher rates, a slowing 
     economy, and a tightening credit market.
       The $53 billion loss for the first half of 2023 is on top 
     of the $15.8 billion net loss in the final quarter of 2022.
       This is a big deal. For the first time in its more than 100 
     years of existence, the money god itself can't print its way 
     out of insolvency.
       To print even more money now will take an already tapped-
     out consumer and small business and crush them further with 
     even higher inflation, tightening of credit, and crushing an 
     already insolvent housing market.
       On top of the Fed's capital deficit is more than $1 
     trillion in unrealized losses on its $7.6 trillion balance 
     sheet of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities it 
     purchased in its System Open Market Account. All those assets 
     the bank purchased at 1 percent interest are now worth much 
     less if the bank were to sell them off at 5.3 percent. 
     Ironically, this is the same insolvency other banks that come 
     to the Fed for bailouts are facing today.
       Yet the Fed simply writes off the loss as it unloads a 
     small portion of its balance sheet (about 9 percent from its 
     high in 2022) without using mark-to-market accounting, as 
     other banks are required to do under the Dodd-Frank law. 
     Mark-to-market uses the actual market price of the bonds, not 
     the irrelevant face value. The Fed ignores the market price 
     of bonds and assumes they are face value.
       If the Fed is incurring this much of a deficit, which will 
     engender more bailouts from the Treasury--rather than the Fed 
     bailing out the debt-ridden Treasury--imagine how the economy 
     will look in the coming years. The majority of FOMC members 
     announced at a Wednesday meeting that they expect another 
     interest rate hike before the end of the year. Then they 
     envision the elevated rates to remain at least for a few 
     years. The capital deficit and unrealized losses on the 
     balance sheet are going to explode exponentially because of 
     the yield inversions, which will further exacerbate the debt 
     tsunami.
       Also, even if the Fed itself doesn't raise the funds rate, 
     the yields on Treasuries must continue to climb just from the 
     sheer volume of issuance the Fed will offload on the market 
     to service biblical levels of interest on the debt, now 
     slated to top $1 trillion every year. There is already a 
     problem attracting enough buyers--with many foreign 
     countries, including China and Japan, dumping U.S. 
     Treasuries. Just wait until these other countries continue 
     with their plan to move away from the U.S. dollar as the 
     reserve currency. Yields will need to increase, further 
     perpetuating and exacerbating the cost of servicing the debt 
     and the Fed's own fiscal deficit in doing so.
       Yields on the two-year Treasury are at the highest level 
     since 2006. However, 17 years ago, the gross debt was $8.5 
     trillion, not $33 trillion. Also, we were running $200-$400 
     billion annual deficits, not $2 trillion deficits. Not to 
     mention the fact that we didn't have nearly this much debt 
     and credit crush in the private sector and among households 
     that are straining banks and individuals to the point of 
     insolvency. Oh, and we are officially not in a recession and 
     have relatively low unemployment. Wait until the fun begins 
     in 2024 and the cost of social programs skyrockets. Even 
     without any new debt, $7.6 trillion of existing debt will 
     mature within the next year at much higher interest rates.
       In other words, the Fed, which has been the government's 
     lifeguard for several generations, is now drowning in the 
     very pool it, along with corrupt politicians in Congress and 
     the Treasury Department, has created. Who will bail out the 
     money printer then?
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, let's talk some more about what should be done. 
We have a structural deficit of $2 trillion. We are spending $700 
billion in interest. The Fed is losing money. Our economy is slowing 
down to boot.
  The question is: What could we do? How about we rein in our Federal 
spending so that the value of our currency doesn't keep dropping like a 
stone? How about we unleash American energy so that we have pressure to 
reduce costs on the energy side and have traditional currency 
protection on the inflation side? That would do it. That would help, 
but we don't see anything from the Hill from which my colleagues across 
the way speak. We don't hear from the White House, either.
  Mr. Chair, I am urging adoption of this amendment. It is a small 
measure to reduce a small program in a small way, but it moves us in 
that direction.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 41 Offered by Mr. Brecheen

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 41 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 29, line 15, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $60,543,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $60,543,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chair, since this administration took office, the 
average family of four is spending $1,200 more per month to buy the 
exact same goods and services as compared to January 2021. That is an 
almost $15,000 increase per year to the average family of four because 
of excessive government spending that is driving devaluation of our 
currency, thus inflation.
  I grew up ranching. I still ranch. When you talk to farmers and 
ranchers, they will tell you their biggest issue is the increase in the 
input costs. Whether it is 4-point barbed-wire, T-posts, a feed truck, 
a cake box, used tractors, everything is costing almost

[[Page H4532]]

twice what it did just a few years ago. The price of agriculture in 
general is up 23 percent, the stats tell us, just in 2 years under this 
administration.
  To help America's farmers and ranchers, we need to get serious about 
cutting government spending that is the root cause of inflation and 
devaluation of our currency.
  Right now, for every dollar that we are spending, about $6 trillion, 
only 70 percent of it is paid for. We are charging 30 percent to our 
kids and our grandkids, who want to inherit those farms and ranches.
  My conservative colleagues and I are urging Congress to reduce 
overall spending back to pre-COVID spending levels. The cut I am 
proposing with this amendment is a modest 6.5 percent cut from the 
underlying bill and funds the NRCS at a higher level even than they 
were in fiscal year 2019.
  I know NRCS programs. In my heavy equipment excavation business, I 
built ponds. I have friends who work for the NRCS. I have gotten good 
advice from the NRCS.
  My question to my friends at the NRCS and my question to my friends 
in the agricultural community: Can we not return to the pre-COVID 
spending levels to give our kids and our grandkids a chance at the 
blessing of liberty?
  There is money within the NRCS that can be cut that is not even 
conservation related. Like many agencies, the Biden administration is 
using even the NRCS to carry out a leftist agenda, so absorption of 
these cuts should start here.
  The NRCS has an Equity Division whose mission is to advocate and 
better align institutional equity into the work and practices of NRCS 
programs and services.
  The NRCS aims to meet or exceed President Biden's Justice40 goals. 
Under the guise of environmental justice, the Justice40 Initiative goal 
is to pick winners and losers. It aims to have 40 percent of benefits 
flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, 
and overburdened by pollution.
  The NRCS State offices, like Vermont, have created a lesbian, gay, 
bisexual, and transgender special emphasis program manager position. 
The NRCS also provides resources such as Pride calendars, pronouns in 
the workplace guidance, and LGBTQ spotlights.
  This is not the original mission of the NRCS. It demonstrates there 
is excess within the agency.
  I know this agency. I have benefited from it. Friends have benefited 
from it. If we are going to be serious about giving our kids a chance, 
we can't protect every program that we like from what has to be a 
nation that starts living within its means. We have to begin somewhere.
  Mr. Chair, this 6.5 percent cut is more than reasonable, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this 
amendment.
  Cutting funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service by an 
additional 8 percent will just, again, make it worse.
  This is a very important agency. It provides very valuable services 
to our communities as well as to our farmers. You have a number of 
programs that are so vitally important.
  They have the conservation innovation programs.
  They have the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which helps 
farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to integrate conservation into 
their working lands.
  They have the grants that support the development of new tools and 
new approaches, practices and technologies to further our natural 
resources conservation on private lands.
  They have the Conservation Stewardship Program, which builds on 
conservation efforts to strengthen the farmers' operations.
  They have the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, which is a 
Federal emergency recovery program that helps local communities recover 
after natural disasters strike. Look at what we have endured over the 
past year, the past 2 years. Communities have been struck by floods, 
wildfires, and hurricanes.
  We have problems, and the Watershed Rehabilitation Program is there. 
It needs to be fully funded, particularly this year with what we have 
experienced with climate change.
  They have watershed and flood prevention programs, the wetland 
reserve easements. We have to help with this. We have to protect our 
forests and, of course, the forest programs and the grazing funds for 
our livestock.
  This is just penny-wise and pound-foolish. We must protect the 
conservation programs because they protect our environment and our 
farmers and help them to be sustainable.
  Mr. Chair, this is a bad amendment. I urge its rejection, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2215

  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chair, I had someone say to me one time that 
governing should be pretty easy. However much government you want ought 
to be the amount of government you are willing to pay for.
  The problem is, on the Federal Government level, we are not paying 
for it. We are asking our kids and our grandkids to pay for all of 
this.
  For every dollar we are spending right now, we are asking our 
children to pick up 30 percent of the tab.
  The question is: When will we start being responsible, looking out 
for the blessing of liberty for our children and our grandkids?
  This is a 6.5 percent reduction. The underlying bill, if adopted, 
leaves $850 million in NRCS.
  We are addicted to overspending in this Nation. Fiscal sanity is 
crying out. Future generations are crying out to start somewhere. I am 
asking my colleagues to start here with me.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma 
will be postponed.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 42 will 
not be offered.


                Amendment No. 43 Offered by Mr. Brecheen

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 43 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:
       Page 37, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,606,926,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,606,926,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chairman, to reiterate what has often been said 
this evening, we hit $33 trillion. It is the first time in our Nation's 
history.
  That means, as of today, every baby that is born in any hospital 
around this country who opens their eyes and takes in their first 
breath of air owes $98,000.
  They are only going to pay it off through a lower standard of living 
because of the selfishness of the generations before them.
  If we continue at this rate of overspending, we are sacrificing their 
future--make no mistake about that.
  It is why my conservative colleagues and I are trying to rein in our 
Federal spending and return to the pre-COVID spending levels. We have 
to start cutting spending.
  My amendment would eliminate the USDA rental assistance program, 
which is 1 of 25 duplicative housing programs. I want to reiterate the 
word ``duplicative''--duplicative housing programs, 25.
  This amendment, if adopted, would save $1.6 billion. That is a real 
number.
  Today, the Federal Government subsidizes low-income families through 
more than 25 duplicative housing programs consisting of projects, 
vouchers, rental construction, financing, and

[[Page H4533]]

grants to State and local governments. It includes 20 different 
entities administering 160 different programs, tax expenditures, and 
other tools supporting homeownership and rental housing.
  In 2021, the Federal Government spent over $57 billion on low-income 
housing programs benefiting 9.3 million Americans. We have 333 million 
Americans total in this Nation.
  This particular program represents only about 2.8 percent of Federal 
housing assistance programs. This duplicative program should be rolled 
into the Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve 
efficiency.
  In 2012 and 2016 reports, the Government Accountability Office 
recommended consolidating many of these duplicative programs. That is 
why, in 2018, OMB under President Trump proposed removing USDA rental 
housing programs to HUD to improve operational efficiency, service 
delivery, and produce savings by reducing agency bureaucracy costs.
  According to the OMB under the Trump administration, ``USDA's housing 
programs, which serve eligible rural areas, were initially established 
in the 1940s in response to an underrepresentation of national housing 
programs in rural areas. . . . Since then, the rationale for separate, 
rural-focused housing programs at USDA has become outdated given HUD's 
role in serving communities throughout the Nation, including in many 
rural areas. In fact, due in large part to the sheer size of its 
programs, HUD serves more households in USDA-eligible areas than USDA 
does.''
  The consolidation of agencies or administrative functions could yield 
a more efficient oversight and administrative structure for cost 
savings in central housing programs.
  The Government Accountability Office recommended that HUD and USDA 
review and consolidate duplicative housing programs, including the 
Rural Housing Service.
  The duplication of program services provides headaches and confusion 
to the neediest of Americans wanting to know where to go. It is time to 
streamline programs and get our fiscal house in order.
  What is causing so many young adults outside of this program 
administration not to be able to afford their homes? High interest 
rates driven by overspending.
  This $1.6 billion that this amendment proposes represents a return to 
fiscal sanity. For every dollar we are spending, we are only paying for 
70 percent of it.
  When are we going to get serious about spending restraint for the 
next generation?
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, this bill, our funding bill, funds 
rural America. We, as Members of Congress, ought to be committed to 
ensuring that people who live in rural communities are not 
disadvantaged simply because of their rural ZIP Code.
  I urge us to defeat this amendment because affordable, decent housing 
is something that every American ought to have access to regardless of 
where he or she lives.
  Of course, this funding for rural America is comparable to the same 
programs that urban Americans have access to. It provides support for 
families so that they can afford to have decent housing.
  To cut this is to punish people who need help for decent housing and 
who happen to live in rural America. This is something we should not 
do.
  Rural Americans should have the same opportunities to realize the 
American Dream as any other American anyplace they live.
  Mr. Chair, I urge the defeat of this amendment. It is a bitter, nasty 
amendment that hurts people who need a hand up.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chairman, I reiterate: duplication of programming. 
There are 25 duplicative programs in this same area.
  This cut represents 2.8 percent of all Federal housing assistance. We 
can help the neediest Americans by streamlining housing programs and 
getting our own fiscal house in order.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense reduction 
in duplication, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 45 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 45 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 42, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $25,715,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $25,715,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment cuts the Rural Business 
Program Account in half from last year's enacted budget amount of 
$43,125,000.
  The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, like a lot of Washington, 
D.C., programs, has a good name. It doesn't always do good things. 
Unfortunately, it continues the age-old government sin of picking 
winners and losers instead of just letting the market work.
  I ran a small business, and people would tell me that the government 
wants to be a good partner. I wasn't looking for a partner in my 
business. I was looking to run my business. If there was a partner, 
surely it wasn't the government, which had no idea about what I did in 
my business.
  What businesses need is for the government to get out of the way and 
stop making it difficult if they don't bend the knee to whatever the 
government demands of them.
  Let me just tell you what we are funding with this money. This comes 
right from the code cited in this appropriations bill: Loans for the 
purposes of reducing the reliance on nonrenewable energy sources by 
encouraging the development and construction of solar energy systems 
and other renewable energy systems.
  If you want to do that, you can get some of this money. If you don't 
want to do that, you can forget it.
  Mr. Chair, we have seen the government-mandated shift to green and 
oftentimes unreliable energy sources, and we have seen what it has done 
to the country. The Secretary of Energy tried to take a drive a little 
while ago in her battery-operated vehicle and didn't make it too far.
  We are not against these things, but the market should decide, not 
the government. The government is not the market, and it doesn't make 
the most efficient decisions.
  Even in places where the shift hasn't directly caused tragedy, every 
single one of our constituents is facing higher prices because of these 
policies.
  Because of these policies, we are literally building a grid on top of 
the grid that we already have, and the grid that we have, we are 
actually diminishing it at the very same time we are demanding more 
from that grid.
  Remember your healthcare costs, how they were going to go down when 
we socialized medicine with the Affordable Care Act, and now you can't 
afford medicine? Get ready because you are not going to be able to 
afford your electricity, either. This program supports that 
unaffordability, which is why it should end.
  This is only the tip of the iceberg. This very spending fight has 
highlighted the true amount of waste and duplication in the Federal 
Government the gentleman before me just spoke about.
  I offer a list of agencies that offer direct or indirect funding for 
this very

[[Page H4534]]

thing: Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of 
Defense, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the 
Interior, Department of the Treasury, and Small Business 
Administration.
  My goodness. If every household and every business duplicated all the 
things the Federal Government did, they would be broke, too, because we 
sure are now.
  Again, I am more than supportive of small businesses and towns. That 
is where I got my start, picking fruit, baling hay, working in small 
businesses. The first business outside of agriculture was Ray's Exxon 
on Route 15. That is a small business.
  These businesses, like every other one and our consumers, have faced 
the record-high cost of living due to government-mandated shutdowns and 
harmful Biden policies.
  Every single one of these businesses and all individual taxpayers 
ought to keep more of their money that they earn instead of having it 
redistributed to whomever the government chooses to be the winner.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge support of this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this amendment should be 
defeated. It will cut funding for the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service by an additional 44 percent.
  Agricultural cooperatives provide effective marketing and local 
supplies and services to their member-owners. Cooperatives bring 
electricity, eConnectivity, affordable housing, capital, financial 
services, telecommunications, healthcare, food, hardware, building 
supplies, and countless other goods and services for people who live in 
rural communities.
  An example for electricity: There are 900 co-ops, electric membership 
cooperatives, that serve 42 million people in this country in 48 of the 
50 States, and they cover 51 percent of the land area in the United 
States of America.

                              {time}  2230

  We need the Rural Business-Cooperative Service to help support these 
rural co-ops that help bring business and help marketing in our rural 
communities.
  Agriculture is a very, very lucrative business, it happens in our 
rural communities for the most part, and we need this cooperative 
service and we need the support for it.
  Mr. Chair, this is a bad amendment. It is penny-wise and pound-
foolish, and I urge its defeat.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlemen from 
Maryland (Mr. Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for 
coming to the floor with a specific idea of how we stop the out-of-
control Federal spending leading to a $2 trillion deficit and runaway 
inflation. That is the bottom line.
  There are plenty of ideas on how to spend more money, believe you me. 
There are plenty of ideas circulating around Washington. What we need 
are ideas on how to cut spending.
  Mr. Chair, I suggest that going after parts of the Federal Government 
that encourage high-cost energy, because that is what renewable energy 
is, it is all high cost. That is the fact of the matter.
  If we want to create low-cost energy, Mr. Chair, you know what we 
have to do, we have to extract our natural gas and burn our natural gas 
and then we can compete with China for the cost of energy.
  All that we are doing with programs like this that fund renewable 
energy is yielding unilateral disarmament to China on energy, and it 
doesn't belong in the agriculture department.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Issa). The gentleman from Pennsylvania's time 
has expired.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


              Amendment No. 48 Offered by Mr. Nunn of Iowa

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 48 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. NUNN of Iowa. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 51, line 19, strike ``twenty-five'' and insert ``one-
     hundred''.
       Page 51, line 20, strike ``three'' and insert ``twenty''.
       Page 51, line 24, strike ``twenty'' and insert ``100''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Iowa (Mr. Nunn) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa.
  Mr. NUNN of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to discuss the critical 
need to expand broadband connectivity across the United States. In my 
home State of Iowa, nearly a third of our State is considered a 
broadband desert.
  Hundreds of thousands of Iowans are left out from the critical access 
that they need, such as for a young mother to get telemedicine 
provided, for a growing farmer to be able to have the artificial 
intelligence necessary for their farm to be successful, or for a fellow 
veteran to get the type of access they need for their medicine over 
broadband.
  As parents, we know all too well the challenges of rural communities 
to be able to get the same access that some of our other States have 
received. It is not enough to simply have internet, but to have high-
quality access to broadband that truly grows the types of communities 
that we have seen be successful.
  Not just in my home State of Iowa, but across the country, these 
small investments allow young entrepreneurs to work remotely. It allows 
farmers to work and cultivate to both feed and fuel the world.
  Importantly, they help connect through the USDA ReConnect Program 
grants which allow access to grow in my home State to over 400,000 
households, and not just in Iowa but nationwide.
  Clearly, there is more work that needs to be done. I offered this 
amendment in the Agriculture appropriations legislation to raise the 
awareness and the need that is happening in rural communities across 
our country, and to improve this program to ensure that we are 
investing in our rural communities' success in the same way we have in 
some of our large cities' success.
  Strategically speaking, I want to make sure that this is something 
that is enduring and not just in one appropriations bill, but that 
there is a roll-out plan--a plan like the farm bill that looks at a 5-
year venture here.
  With Chairman G.T. Thompson's commitment on the Agriculture 
Committee, I believe we can incorporate this into the farm bill. I will 
be withdrawing my amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I rise to claim the time in 
opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, during this Congress, the 
House Committee on Agriculture has had one overarching goal: to empower 
our farm families and invigorate our rural economies.
  A central focus of our efforts has been to ensure that rural 
economies gain access to affordable, high-speed internet.
  Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Nunn for his tireless work on behalf of his 
constituents to develop smart policy ideas to bring broadband internet 
to every corner of America.
  Over the past several years, the House Committee on Agriculture has 
worked hard on a bipartisan basis to close the connectivity gap. The 
gentleman from Iowa has been a welcome addition to those conversations.

[[Page H4535]]

  Every Member of this House is committed to using taxpayer funds 
wisely, and the House Agriculture Committee will report a farm bill 
that does just that.
  We will ensure that broadband networks financed through USDA's 
broadband programs will offer fast, reliable service far into the 
future.
  Now, I firmly believe that the best policies emerge through 
discussions and collaboration. That is what we are doing as we craft 
the next farm bill.
  With the leadership of Members like Mr. Nunn, we will ensure USDA's 
broadband programs can meet both the current and the future 
connectivity needs of rural America.
  Mr. Chair, I appreciate Mr. Nunn taking the time tonight to raise 
these important issues. I am equally appreciative of his willingness to 
withdraw his amendment and continue this conversation through the farm 
bill process.
  Mr. Chair, I look forward to working with the gentleman on our shared 
priorities as we advance the 2023 farm bill through the House and 
ultimately to the President's desk.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Iowa is recognized.
  Mr. NUNN of Iowa. Mr. Chair, I specifically thank Chairman Thompson 
for his leadership on this, and from the many of us from rural 
communities, including agriculture communities like Iowa, for this 
continued commitment to improve our broadband. We have seen time and 
time again; this type of infrastructure truly can grow our economy in a 
productive way.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment from 
consideration.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                Amendment No. 51 Offered by Mr. Donalds

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 51 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 60, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $23,440,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $23,440,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Donalds) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Chairman, I will be brief. My amendment does one 
simple thing, it actually restores the funding for the Foreign 
Agriculture Service to fiscal year 2019 levels.
  In short, Mr. Chairman, our government spends a lot of money, and we 
are not even sure if it is effective. One of the things that is 
critical to get our overall fiscal house in order is to start looking 
at line items in the Federal budget pre-COVID.
  We have plussed up a lot of these agencies and a lot of these 
departments, and the COVID pandemic was used as a reason to do so.
  My amendment is simple. The COVID pandemic is over and it is now time 
to start focusing on getting our fiscal house in order while still 
being focused on the programs that are important to the agriculture 
community and other communities. My amendment does that.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I certainly rise in opposition to 
this amendment. The amendment would reduce funding for the Foreign 
Agriculture Service, which reduces the services promoting United States 
agricultural exports, developing overseas markets, and increasing 
global food security.
  This cut would directly harm American farmers because they would have 
less opportunities to market their commodities abroad. There is already 
a 14.15 percent cut from the House levels imposed by the majority in 
this bill, and these cuts would only further harm our American farmers.
  Mr. Chair, I urge opposition to this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Chairman, let's be very clear. What we are talking 
about is moving the requested number for this appropriation down $23.4 
million.
  In 2019, we spent $213,000,890 on the Foreign Agriculture Service. 
All we are saying is move it back to that line. The Federal Government 
will still be able to accomplish its mission, but we don't have the 
additional resources. We have to be prudent with the people's money so 
we can actually cut that back to 2019 levels and still accomplish the 
mission.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I congratulate the Member from Florida for 
bringing a concrete idea to the floor on how to cut our $2 trillion 
Federal deficit.
  Once again, it is very easy to spend money. We could make a list of a 
thousand programs that are deserving programs, but the fact of the 
matter is we have to borrow every single cent to fund the programs in 
this agriculture bill, and our grandchildren have to pay it back. That 
is immoral.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I think it is interesting to 
hear the discussion about a $2 trillion deficit when that was created 
by the tax cut that they passed in the last administration--$2 trillion 
because they cut the taxes and reduced the amount of revenue. Come on.
  You balance the budget with revenues as well as with spending 
reductions. Let's be real here. This is just a subterfuge. We need to 
defeat this amendment and we need to move forward and try to produce an 
agriculture bill that really addresses the needs of the American people 
in 2023.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Chairman, I did not hear an argument as to why $250 
million needs to be spent for the Foreign Agriculture Service. What I 
heard, Mr. Chairman, was talk about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which, by 
the way, has yielded more tax revenue to the Federal Government than at 
any other time in American history.
  The minority party refuses to acknowledge the fact that actual tax 
policy changes in a positive way which reduces rates on producers in 
our country actually yields more tax revenue to the Federal Government. 
They refuse to acknowledge that to this day.
  If you are going to ask for a recipe for fiscal sanity in this 
Nation, it is to actually lower marginal tax rates over a consistent 
period of time--consistent, controlled spending restraint at the 
Federal level over a period of time. Those two things will actually 
lead us to spending less in this government and provide more prosperity 
to all of the people that we serve, regardless of where they fall on 
the economic ladder.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. This is 
what we should be doing. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 52 will 
not be offered.
  The Chair understands that amendment No. 53 will not be offered.


                 Amendment No. 54 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 54 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 61, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,740,000,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,740,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.

[[Page H4536]]

  


                              {time}  2245

  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to strike 
funding for the Food for Peace Title II grant program, which would 
direct $1.74 billion to deficit reduction.
  I will repeat again what has been said so often here: Annual 
discretionary spending exploded over the course of the COVID-19 
response. No one thought our government was too small before COVID, and 
we are currently spending $400 billion more in fiscal year 2023 for the 
same government we had before. Deficits exceed $2 trillion.
  Let me just make this clear: In 2019, we spent about $4.9 trillion, 
$4.7- to $4.9 trillion, depends on who is telling you, and our revenue 
is going to be about $5.2 trillion. Wouldn't it be great to get back to 
those 2019 levels? Wouldn't it be great to get to the 2019 spending 
levels with our current revenue levels? Then you would not be 
increasing your deficit, your structural deficit.
  The spending deficits that we have are out of control. They are 
leading to this massive national debt, which is fueling inflation and 
is going to be generational theft.
  Let's talk about the Food for Peace Title II grant programs. Since 
the program was established in the 1950s, funding for the program has 
exploded. The Trump administration's fiscal year 2020 budget request 
recommended eliminating this program, which is duplicative of other 
foreign aid programs.
  What is interesting, I say ``Trump,'' and you know that is going to 
set off, oh, no, the Trump derangement syndrome folks, the far left of 
this body are going to say: Oh, that is crazy.
  However, Trump wasn't the first to do it. The Obama administration's 
2014 budget request recommended shifting all Food for Peace Title II 
funds into accounts funded through the State and Foreign Operations 
appropriations bill. They cited potential improvements to flexibility, 
timeliness, and efficiency.
  I am urging us to wipe out $1.74 billion in wasteful, duplicative 
spending and put it into deficit reduction.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this 
amendment.
  As a reminder, the bill already cuts the Food for Peace program by 69 
percent from the level passed in the full committee. During a time of 
increased need and difficult decisions ahead for prioritizing funding 
from this program, this amendment would further cut Food for Peace. 
Additionally, today, we have already considered three other stand-alone 
amendments to cut the program.
  I not only oppose this amendment due to its effects on people without 
food security across the globe, I also oppose it due to its effect on 
our farmers here at home. U.S. commodities are a key pillar of this 
program, and cutting funding would directly harm those farmers who 
produce these commodities that go to this program. There is an 
international aid shortfall of commodities, including millions of 
commodities that American farmers proudly produce, such as wheat, rice, 
corn, sorghum, lentils, beans, and peas.
  This amendment shortchanges America's farmers as well as America's 
values, our Judeo-Christian values. I urge opposition to this 
amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, previously, some of my counterparts in 
debate have said we should supply every need, the Federal Government 
should supply every need to every American, and now they want to 
persist in trying to satisfy the needs and wants of people offshore, as 
well.
  We can't afford to take care of every need of every American today. 
That is why we have a $2 trillion structural deficit. That does not 
include the $700 billion that we are spending in interest. We simply 
cannot afford to keep giving our future away, and that is what we are 
doing here.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, I am encouraging everyone to support this 
important amendment. I think it is important, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona will 
be postponed.
  The Chair understands that amendment No. 55 will not be offered.


                 Amendment No. 56 Offered by Mr. Ogles

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 56 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 61, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $120,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, our Nation's international food assistance 
programs are broken. They drive our deficits higher while providing 
little to no value to taxpayers and even harming the recipient 
countries.
  I am grateful for Mr. Harris' manager's amendment that reduced 
funding for the destructive so-called Food for Peace program, and I 
urge extending the cost cuts to its sister program, McGovern-Dole, 
sometimes known as Food for Education.
  When we dump free food on developing markets, their domestic farmers 
can't compete. I mean, who can compete with free? Their domestic 
farmers are forced out of business, and investment in their domestic 
agricultural sector dwindles. In fact, we hurt those we seek to assist.
  We have known that this problem has existed for years. In 2010, 
watching international food aid destroy his country's agricultural 
sector, the President of Haiti begged us to stop, to stop sending it. 
Further, reflecting on his administration's role in testimony before 
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, President Bill Clinton said: 
``I had to live every day with the consequences of the loss of capacity 
to produce a rice crop in Haiti to feed those people.''
  Bill Clinton even recognized the mistake. However, we keep making it. 
We need to stop impoverishing farmers in countries with developing 
agricultural sectors and stop discouraging private investment in those 
sectors.
  While supporters of the McGovern-Dole program have touted its alleged 
role supporting democracy and good governance, a look at the recipient 
countries proves that that isn't true. USDA determines a list of 
priority countries for McGovern-Dole each year. Let's take a look at 
this year's recipients, seven countries.
  Nicaragua, which is ruled by Daniel Ortega's thugocracy, throws its 
opposition in prison, and that is on a good day. It stands accused of 
politically motivated extrajudicial executions and torture and other 
human rights abuses.
  Then there is Togo, whose President first took power in a military 
coup in 2005.
  Cameroon's President, coincidentally, won reelection uninterrupted 
since coming into power in 1982.
  At the time the USDA put Nepal on the priority list, it had a 
Communist Party leader.
  These are not beacons of democracy or good governance.
  Haiti still remains on the priority list; and look at Haiti today. 
Decades of aid have failed to produce a reliable government there.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to 
this amendment. As I said in my opening statement, this bill already 
cuts the Agriculture funding bill back to a level last seen in 2001.

[[Page H4537]]

  Apparently, those cuts are not enough because this amendment would 
cut 50 percent from the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education 
and Child Nutrition Program. That is a 50 percent cut from funding 
supporting schoolchildren abroad.
  This is a proven, successful program, a bipartisan program which 
takes concrete steps to ensure that the program activities continue 
after U.S. support is no longer provided. This money is not wasted. It 
is not indefinite for any one location. It is a sound investment to 
promote the health and education of schoolchildren, especially girls, 
in need around the globe.
  We are 4 days away from a government shutdown, and instead of 
debating a bipartisan path forward, we are debating further cuts to 
programs that have broad, bipartisan support. I urge all of my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote against this amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, success? Haiti is a wreck. Nicaragua has 
sided with the CCP. They led the charge to expel Taiwan as a permanent 
observer, replacing with the butchers of Beijing. Of the seven priority 
countries, six of them--including Cameroon, Mozambique, Nepal, 
Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, and Togo--voted to support China's imposition of 
the oppressive national security law on Hong Kong. The recipient 
countries have proven to be anti-American.
  Their countries have failed to produce agricultural sectors because 
local farmers can't compete with free. This isn't saving people from 
hunger. It is destroying the very people we are trying to assist. I 
urge Congress to continue to reform its food aid program. Mr. Chairman, 
if you want to sow the seeds of freedom, harvest the yield of 
democracy, pursuing failed policies is not the answer. I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of my amendment. These 
policies are failed. They are not successful. We are hurting the very 
countries that we are aiming to support. Let's help these nations, but 
this is not the answer.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 57 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 57 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 61, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $240,000,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $240,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to strike 
funding for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and 
Child Nutrition Program.
  I appreciate that the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles) offered an 
amendment reducing it, and I appreciate that that is now going to be 
part of the underlying bill since it just passed on voice vote.
  My amendment would direct the entire $240 million supporting that 
program would be used to reduce our deficit in 2024.
  When you think about it, Mr. Ogles certainly made a strong case as to 
why that should be so, but I am going to add just a couple points to 
it. I am not going to belabor the fact that we continue to spend 
ourselves into oblivion at the Federal level. That is causing 
tremendous inflationary pressures, bringing stress to every American 
family.
  What I am going to talk about instead is what happens in any Federal 
bureaucracy, what we see government do constantly. Mr. Ogles talked 
about the negative policy aspects of it, but I will just cover briefly 
what happens in the Federal bureaucracy on the spending side of it.
  This particular program, the McGovern-Dole International Food for 
Education and Child Nutrition Program first received appropriations in 
fiscal year 2004, just 20 years ago, 20 short years ago. The bill set 
aside $50 million to carry out the program. That was the program, $50 
million. Help around the world ostensibly, right?
  However, what happens to Federal bureaucracies? They grow like Topsy. 
This one has grown to $240 million annually.
  The Trump administration's 2018 budget, pre-COVID budget, request 
recommended that the program be eliminated as it ``lacks evidence that 
the program is being effectively implemented to reduce food 
insecurity.''

                              {time}  2300

  Additionally, the program primarily works by donating food produced 
in the United States to communities in need around the world, but we 
have already heard the seven nations identified. It is a great deal for 
U.S. agricultural producers whose surplus is purchased by the Federal 
Government for use in the program, but the provision of free food, as 
Mr. Ogles so eloquently pointed out, is required to be delivered, and 
that causes native, local production to decline in those States.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment. It is 
unnecessary and harmful.
  While there is a global commodity shortage and conflict that fuels 
hunger around the world, this bill has already been cut by 14.15 
percent. Further cuts will only cause further impacts to efforts to 
improve the food security and education of children around the world.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, why else might we want to eliminate this 
program? The provision of free food to these seven nations on this 
list, which is required to be delivered in a not-so-timely manner on 
U.S.-flagged ships, distorts food production markets in those nations 
receiving aid, and it actually increases the cost.
  It is a classic ``give a man a fish, feed him for a day'' problem. 
The program isn't eliminating food insecurity. It is slow. It is 
costly. It is growing. It pushes out local production. Quite frankly, 
we simply can't afford it anymore.
  At some point, we are going to have to say we are having trouble 
funding everything in our own country, and now we are going to send it 
abroad. That is something I don't think the American people stand for.
  Mr. Chair, I urge the adoption of this amendment, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Gooden of Texas). The question is on the 
amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona will 
be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 61 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 61 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:
       Page 69, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $77,000,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $77,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.

[[Page H4538]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to restore 
funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to fiscal year 
2019 pre-COVID levels.
  This amendment would direct $77 million to deficit reduction in 
fiscal year 2024. Annual discretionary spending exploded over the 
course of the COVID-19 response. No one thought our government was too 
small before COVID. We are currently spending hundreds of billions of 
dollars more in fiscal year 2023 for the same government functions that 
we had before.
  Deficits are now projected to exceed $2 trillion for this fiscal 
year. Recently, the U.S. eclipsed $33 trillion in debt, accounting for 
nearly $100,000 per U.S. citizen.
  Earlier in the debates today, we were told that if we go down this 
road, we are going to see a threatened credit rating reduction. We have 
already seen that. Fitch already did it. Moody's is threatening to do 
it again, and why are they doing it again? It is because, as they said 
the last time they downgraded us, we don't have an effective plan to 
handle and reduce our Federal deficit.
  We just don't have a plan anymore. The plan is to actually increase 
our deficit, and my bill attempts to take one small bite at trying to 
shrink that deficit, that structural deficit, that leads to the gross 
national debt problem we have every year.
  Revenue in fiscal year 2022 levels actually exceeded our Federal 
spending in fiscal year 2019. What that means is if we were to shrink 
the Federal spending behemoth back to those pre-COVID levels, we might 
just be able to avoid adding to our national debt for the next 12 
months. That is all I am asking.
  I am begging us, can we do it for a month, 2 months, 3 months? You 
will see that this country will not fall apart. Instead, it will 
prosper and grow, and we would be better off.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
offered amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment. I appreciate the gentleman taking a bite at fiscal 
responsibility, but this bite actually will create fiscal 
irresponsibility and create harm.
  The CFTC is one of our two financial market regulators acting as a 
cop on the beat for commodity derivatives markets. The Commission's 
work is essential to ensure that commodity markets are fair for all 
participants, from the largest financial institutions to the smallest 
businesses.
  Robust, fair, well-policed derivative markets allow for the accurate 
risk control and price discovery for essential economic inputs, like 
agricultural and energy products. Domestic derivatives markets enable 
U.S. producers and consumers of commodities to effectively manage their 
risk, making American businesses more competitive around the world.
  The Commission's work is also essential to protecting the public from 
financial frauds and scams, including those targeting the elderly, 
immigrants, and Americans seeking to participate in the digital assets 
market.
  CFTC is already one of the most cost-effective financial regulators 
we have, its markets as complex and important as securities markets 
with a budget that is just a slice, a sixth, of the SEC's $2 billion 
budget.
  Now, this bill, the underlying bill, already reduces the CFTC's 
funding $296 million, which is less than FY 2021. Enacting this 
amendment on top of the current reductions in the bill would reduce the 
CFTC's funding to $219 million, which is a cut $49 million greater than 
the sponsor's intent.
  Instead of bringing the CFTC back to 2019 funding levels, this 
amendment would bring the CFTC back to its 2014 funding levels. If 
enacted into law, this amendment would result in a 40 percent reduction 
in funding for the Commission and would jeopardize the critical work 
the agency does to support the economy and protect Americans from 
financial fraud.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose this amendment, and I urge my colleagues 
to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I appreciate my friend, the Agriculture 
Committee chairman, and his opposition, but I must respectfully 
disagree. The proposed funding level for the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission is a nearly 30 percent increase over the fiscal year 2019 
levels.
  The CFTC is following in the footsteps of the SEC under the Biden 
administration with efforts to mandate, without statutory authority, an 
onerous climate disclosure regime on the private sector.
  Last year, the CFTC solicited comments on climate-related financial 
risk. Conservative attorneys general, led by West Virginia Attorney 
General Patrick Morrisey, forcefully pushed back, stating that attempts 
to mandate disclosure through rulemaking or through another regulatory 
framework would clearly implicate the major questions doctrine, raised 
First Amendment concerns related to compelled speech, and stated that 
courts would find climate-related action to be arbitrary and 
capricious.

                              {time}  2310

  Other reporting suggests that the CFTC is aggressively pursuing 
enforcement action and hefty fines over minor technical reporting 
requirements. That is typical of the bureaucratic regime established 
under the Biden administration.
  Adoption of my amendment would ensure that the CFTC is properly 
utilizing its resources to fulfill its mission of fostering open, 
competitive, and financially sound futures and option markets, not 
becoming the Biden administration's ESG enforcer.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona will 
be postponed.


                Amendment No. 62 Offered by Mr. Donalds

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 62 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 69, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $96,000,000)''.
       Page 119, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $96,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Donalds) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Chairman, my amendment in short does something very 
simple. It actually reduces the funding requirement for the Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission back to FY 2018 levels.
  In short, Mr. Chairman, the job of the CFTC has been operating for a 
very long time. The additional $96 million in money, it is not clear 
why they need that to be able to regulate the Commodity Futures Trading 
platform.
  Nothing miraculously has changed in commodity trading from 2018 to 
2024, so in my view, Mr. Chairman, we need to restore those levels back 
to the FY18 levels in part because the CFTC will still be able to 
accomplish their mission, number one.
  Number two, we are running a $2 trillion deficit this fiscal year. We 
have to actually begin to pull some of these agencies back two levels 
so the American taxpayer can actually begin to afford, and not the 
wishful thinking of Federal agencies.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to 
this amendment
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.

[[Page H4539]]

  

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, it is a good thing I 
represent Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, because it feels like Groundhog 
Day all over again.
  I don't see the point of defunding the police further than what the 
underlying bill has done to police. It really provides safeguards for 
those who are involved in the derivative market, those small 
businesses, those farmers, those Americans.
  As I have mentioned before, the CFTC is one of our two financial 
market regulators. They are the police within this area, acting as a 
cop on the beat for the commodity derivatives market.
  The Commission's work is essential to ensure that commodity markets 
are fair for all participants, from the largest financial institutions 
to the smallest businesses. Robust, fair, well-policed derivative 
markets allow for accurate risk control and price discovery for 
essential economic inputs like agricultural and energy products.
  Domestic derivative markets enable the United States producers and 
consumers of commodities to effectively manage their risk, making 
American businesses more competitive around the world.
  Now, this Commission's work is also essential to protecting the 
public from financial frauds and scams, including those targeting the 
elderly, immigrants, and Americans seeking to participate in the 
digital asset markets, which, quite frankly, is an increasing number 
given the state of digital assets in the derivatives market.
  The CFTC is already one of the most cost-effective financial 
regulators we have. It polices markets as complex and important as 
securities markets, with a budget that--once again I have to state--is 
less than a fifth of the SEC's $2 billion budget.
  The bill already reduces CFTC's funding to $296 million, which is 
less than FY 2021.
  Enacting this amendment on top of the current reductions in the bill 
would reduce, quite frankly, this police force from protecting those 
investing through the derivatives market, their funding to $200 
million, which is a cut $49 million greater than the sponsor's intent.
  Instead of bringing the CFTC back to 2018 funding levels, this 
amendment would bring the CFTC back to 2011 funding levels.
  If enacted into law, this amendment would result in a 45-percent 
reduction in funding for the Commission and jeopardize the critical 
work that the agency does to support the economy and protect Americans 
from financial fraud.
  I strongly oppose this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Chairman, a couple of things. Number one, the 
regulatory mission and the enforcement mission for the CFTC has not 
been encumbered in any way over the last several years, so cutting 
their spending back at a time when the American taxpayer does not have 
more money, first, to give to the Federal Government and its leviathan 
of overspending but, number two, borrowing more money from its future 
is just not the prudent measure to do. That is one and two.
  Number three, Congress has not outlined any regulatory framework 
around the digital assets framework. It does not exist because Congress 
has not spoken about digital assets. For the CFTC to take 
appropriations to regulate a space it has no legal authority to 
regulate, in my view, is outside the purview of the CFTC.
  There might be a time in the future where Congress would regulate 
legislative responsibilities around the digital assets marketplace, but 
that has not occurred at this time.
  Number four, I would agree with the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the 
CFTC, with respect to all the other regulators, is one of the most 
cost-effective.
  Obviously, I believe the SEC is bloated and, frankly, out of control 
in a myriad of areas, but that does not mean that we just turn a blind 
eye to the budgets of every aspect of the Federal Government. We have 
to bring some semblance of fiscal sanity to this government and 
starting even with the good ``cops on the beat'' is a responsible thing 
to do.
  The CFTC can still accomplish its mission if their budget is 
restrained to a degree. There has not been any really significant 
issues in the derivative markets since, frankly, 2008, where the CFTC 
has not been able to accomplish its mission. This lower funding level 
will allow them to do the same.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 64 will 
not be offered.


          Amendment No. 65 Offered by Mr. Graves of Louisiana

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 65 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 119, after line 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 775A.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to carry out clause (ii) of section 6(o)(4)(A) of 
     the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(4)(A)).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Louisiana (Mr. Graves) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Chairman, in 1996 this Congress came 
together to work on a bipartisan basis and enact work requirements for 
welfare programs.
  Mr. Chairman, let me be very clear. The United States needs a social 
safety net. We need a social welfare program--let me say it again--as a 
safety net, as a program that is there to help those on a temporary 
basis at a time of need to offer a handout.
  Under President Clinton, under Republicans and Democrats working 
together in 1996, and I make note, Mr. Chairman, then-Senator Joe Biden 
voted in support of installing work requirements for welfare programs 
such as for the SNAP program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program, commonly known as food stamps.

                              {time}  2320

  Under the program or under the law change, the work requirements 
simply meant that you needed to go to a job assistance center, a job 
training center, somewhere to gain the skills to connect you with 
available jobs.
  More recently, Mr. Chair, just months ago, Republicans and 
Democrats--and I want to make note the majority of Democrats in this 
Chamber, the majority of Republicans in this Chamber and our President 
Joe Biden signed into law strengthening those work requirements; for 
example, raising the requirement up to age 55 that work capable 
individuals without dependents would be responsible for 20 hours of 
work in order to be eligible after an extended period for programs like 
food stamps.
  This body came together and established a hard cap on the percentage 
of individuals that a State may be able to exempt.
  What has happened is we have watched as the States have abused a 
loophole, a loophole that simply says if there are insufficient jobs, 
you don't have to comply with the work requirement. Eighteen States 
today--18 States--have said that they have insufficient jobs. Mr. 
Chair, that is ridiculous.
  We have one of the lowest workforce participation rates in modern 
history. We have 8.8 million jobs available according to the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics. Jobs are available. Let's be clear. For those who are 
going to come out and say that this is mean, this is mean-spirited, 
this is cruel--let's be clear, Mr. Chair, the objective of work 
requirements--I am certain that Bill Clinton had as President, that 
then-Senator Joe Biden supported, that more recently President Joe 
Biden signed into law--the objective here is following models that have 
shown getting people to job assistance centers, job training centers, 
volunteering in

[[Page H4540]]

their community, volunteering in their church, going to school helps 
improve employability. It helps get people back in the workforce, 
taking them off of government dependence and becoming members of our 
society that determine their own future.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I have extremely strong opposition 
to this amendment.
  If there are not sufficient jobs for people in the State, who are we 
to take that State's judgment away?
  The other side is always talking about States' rights. Well, these 
are not people that are living high on the hog. They are not people 
that have excess money.
  I cannot and I will not support this amendment, nor will any of my 
Democratic colleagues. It is mean and it is cruel to ask people to do 
something that is not possible. If there aren't jobs, they can't be 
employed and they can't comply with this. The States should know better 
than we in Washington. If the State requests a waiver, which is a 
request, it is not a mandate, certainly the Department can examine it 
and determine whether or not there is sufficient cause to justify the 
waiver.
  We shouldn't just sua sponte on our own decide that a State doesn't 
have sense enough to know what is going on within its borders.
  We should not support this, and if it is included in the final 
conference agreement, I doubt my Democratic colleagues would provide 
the necessary votes for final passage, nor that the President would 
sign the bill.
  I urge us to defeat this amendment. It really makes no sense, and it 
is mean, and it is cruel.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for 
yielding. He has a great amendment. Now, he doesn't have great hair 
right now--there is a little too much of it--but he has a great 
amendment.
  He is talking about the abuse of States. I come from Pennsylvania 
where these waivers are continually abused.
  Let's face it, Mr. Chair, they wouldn't have to be abused, they don't 
have to be abused at all. If my friends on the left would quit 
destroying the economies and the fabric of the household that makes a 
living and makes everything more expensive for them, none of this would 
be required. First, they destroy the house's income, and then they 
subsidize it and force them to do this.
  These waivers are indicative of this policy, Mr. Chair, and the 
gentleman from Louisiana makes a great point. This is a great 
amendment, and it should be adopted because these programs exist to 
help people but not to be abused by States that use them to push people 
further into poverty, which is what happens. They can never get out, 
and they are ever dependent. These waivers support that, and that is 
why they should end.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I will respond to my friend's 
comments. I actually agree with what he said, and, fortunately, he is 
not making any reference to my amendment.
  Let's be clear on what happens here. These are Federal funds; so, 
yes, absolutely, the Federal Government should be determining it. This 
has nothing to do with State's rights. We don't let the States cut the 
check for the Federal Government. That is inappropriate.
  Number two, no one is taking these benefits away. Let's keep in mind, 
taxpayers are funding these programs, and all we are doing is we are 
simply asking for 20 hours a week of volunteer time in return for 
receiving these very generous taxpayer-funded benefits.
  Lastly, Mr. Chair, the outcomes show, study after study shows this 
results in getting people back in the workforce. This should be our 
objective. Why in the world would we want to force people to stay on 
social welfare programs? That is cruel. We shouldn't be doing that to 
anyone. It is entirely inappropriate.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 66 Offered by Mr. Tiffany

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 66 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce 
     section 3 (relating to milk) of the rule entitled ``Child 
     Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent 
     with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans'' published by 
     the Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on 
     February 7, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 8050).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 66, the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
  Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, my bipartisan amendment ensures that none of 
the funds made available by this bill will go toward funding a rule 
that will ban flavored milk, like chocolate milk, in schools.
  This would ensure that all types and flavors of milk are available to 
schoolchildren.
  This summer it was reported that the USDA is considering banning 
chocolate milk from elementary and middle schools.
  USDA issued a proposed rule in February that would set new nutrition 
standards for school meals. If implemented, the new standards proposed 
could limit the amount of flavored milk, like chocolate and strawberry, 
in high schools while children in elementary and middle schools would 
be restricted to a variety of unflavored milk. This rule would affect 
roughly 30 million students who participate in the school meal 
programs.
  According to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 
removing flavored milk from schools resulted in a 62 to 63 percent 
reduction in milk consumption by kids in kindergarten through fifth 
grade, as well as a 50 percent reduction in sixth through eighth 
grades.
  Milk is full of rich nutrients that support bone growth and 
development, and millions of children enjoy drinking it.
  We should not be funding rules that would limit our children's access 
to delicious and nutritious products like milk.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bipartisan amendment, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, this amendment, as the gentleman 
from Wisconsin has said, prohibits funds from being used to finalize, 
implement, administer, or enforce the milk section of USDA's proposed 
rule that aligns nutrition standards to the 2020 dietary guidelines for 
Americans. This appropriations rider is preemptive as the final rule 
hadn't even been released by the Department, and it is out of place 
because this issue should be taken up within the context of a child 
nutrition reauthorization, not an appropriations rider.

                              {time}  2330

  This amendment disregards the normal scientific process currently 
being undertaken to establish the nutrition guidelines.
  School meals and beverages are required to be consistent with the 
dietary guidelines for Americans, which are evidence-based 
recommendations set to provide nutritional guidance.
  This amendment would effectively undermine the unbiased, evidence-
based process that ensures that children receive the most nutritious 
meals and replace that scientifically based process with a political 
process.

[[Page H4541]]

  It is critical that science continue to guide the process in 
determining options in schools and that the regulations are updated to 
align with the newest dietary guidelines using a process that 
intentionally allows for adaptations in line with the latest scientific 
and expert recommendations.
  Importantly, the Department of Agriculture has specifically requested 
public feedback on the proposed milk options for consideration when 
crafting the final rule.
  The bottom line is that scientific experts, not politicians, should 
be the ones to determine the nutrition standards and ensure that our 
children get the healthiest meals possible.
  A dozen organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and 
Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart 
Association, have all urged Congress to continue to respect the 
scientific-based process and not interfere with the normal procedure.
  Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden), my friend and neighbor in the Third 
Congressional District.
  Mr. VAN ORDEN. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of this amendment, 
which will continue the allowance of flavored milk in school nutrition 
programs.
  Dairy products deliver nutrients critical to children's health and 
development. Milk is the top source of protein, calcium, potassium, 
phosphorus, and vitamin D for children ages 2 to 11. Dairy also 
provides nutrients vital for immune health.
  Unfortunately, children are not consuming enough dairy to benefit 
from these essential nutrients. Removing flavored milk from schools 
only deters school-aged children from drinking milk.
  Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment to continue 
to fully allow nonfat and low-fat flavored milk in grades K-12 to 
ensure our children have access to nutrients that they need.
  I will say to my Democratic colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
that we must be cautious when we are speaking about conflating politics 
with science. We have learned that over the last 3 years.
  Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Tiffany for the amendment. I want, 
with him, to speak on behalf of parents and children, not on behalf of 
politicians and so-called scientists.
  This is what we know. We shouldn't even be having this conversation 
because we didn't enact this Federal Government to ban things from us. 
We want to make the decisions. Children want to make the decisions. 
Parents want to make the decisions. We know what is best for us. We 
don't need them to tell us. We will figure it out ourselves. Over the 
course of a couple hundred years, we have done pretty well here without 
scientists and politicians telling us and our children what is good or 
what is bad.
  Let me tell you what is good and what is bad. What is bad is school 
lunches today. Do you know how I know? Because kids don't want to eat 
them. All the nutrition they are getting? They are not getting it 
because they don't want them. The only time they are going to eat them 
is if it is the only thing they have to eat, and you are limiting that 
now. It is absurd.
  Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for offering the 
amendment. I hope that we win this amendment, and kids and parents can 
finally make choices for themselves.
  Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, in many ways, this may be the least of the 
amendments that you will hear tonight, but it is actually, I would say, 
the most of the amendments.
  Here is the reason why: When you have a Federal Government that 
believes that they need to regulate the milk that is served in our 
kids' schools across America, you have a Federal Government that is out 
of control.
  We have become a borderless country. When our Federal Government has 
become perhaps the largest human trafficking operation in the history 
of the world, when you have a Federal Government that will not take us 
back to energy independence, where gasoline is now back up to $4 a 
gallon where I live in northern Wisconsin, where you have a Federal 
Government that has fueled inflation like we haven't seen for 40 years, 
what in the world are they doing? What in the world are they doing 
trying to regulate what milk is served in our kids' schools?
  That is why we are here tonight and trying to pass these amendments. 
They get America back to a place of fiscal responsibility but also 
sanity from what we have seen over the last couple of years with this 
profligate spending that is going on.
  Finally, I will say that I come from America's Dairyland, and you are 
damn right that I am going to fight for milk in our kids' schools.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                  Amendment No. 67 Offered by Mr. Bost

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 67 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

         At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert 
     the following:
         Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used by the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase 
     electric vehicles.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Bost) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to restrict the 
Secretary of Agriculture from using taxpayer dollars to purchase 
electric vehicles.
  The American people have had enough of the Green New Deal mandates. 
Families and farmers in my district, who fear the steady march of Big 
Government, know that it is just the beginning before Big Government 
makes it harder to purchase the vehicles you want to drive and that you 
have to drive to operate your farms and businesses.
  I have talked to car dealers in my district that are having a hard 
time even moving electric vehicles off the lot. No one wants to buy 
them. Not only do electric vehicles cost more than gas-powered 
vehicles, but they also make us more dependent on global adversaries 
for the lithium batteries it takes to run them.
  Americans should not be forced to heel under the Biden 
administration's push for this radical agenda.
  There are better solutions. For instance, biofuels offer a tremendous 
energy opportunity for our country that supports our farmers in the 
fields and the consumers at the pump with cleaner and cheaper fuel.
  The USDA should be supporting and uplifting American farmers, not 
selling them out to please environmental activists. My amendment shows 
that the people's House will hold the Biden administration accountable 
to the people.
  Mr. Chair, I urge support of my amendment, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, electric vehicles produce no carbon 
dioxide or other harmful emissions when driving, and they create a 
healthy environment for all Americans by reducing air pollution. 
Electric vehicles require less fluids and lubricants, which keeps our 
drinking water cleaner.
  Why would anyone object to having cleaner air or cleaner water for 
our children and our grandchildren?
  This amendment doesn't save the American taxpayer any money because 
it prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from purchasing electric 
vehicles that will reduce fuel costs for the Department of Agriculture.
  It is estimated that by 2035, most of the world's automakers will 
offer nothing but electric vehicles. While that is

[[Page H4542]]

12 years away, there is no reason to prohibit the Department of 
Agriculture from replacing retiring vehicles with electric vehicles to 
build our fleet for the future.
  We are all witnessing the impacts of climate change through drought 
and extreme weather events. Let's not prevent any steps that would help 
us address climate change.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2340

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Chairman, first off, I have actually met with members 
of the Auto Dealers Association who have tremendous amounts of EVs 
sitting on their lots that they can't sell. Yet, we continue to push 
from the Federal Government and from the Biden administration to try to 
push that.
  I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for 
yielding time.
  This is a commonsense amendment. The bottom line is it is a myth to 
say that electric vehicles produce no CO2. Where do you 
think the electricity comes from when you plug it into the outlet? Most 
electricity in the United States is producing CO2.
  Secondly, why would we want the Federal Government to buy a vehicle, 
an expensive vehicle, that people don't even buy for themselves?
  We should run the Federal Government much more efficiently. These are 
not the most efficient purchases to make. We have a $2 trillion 
deficit.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota 
(Mr. Stauber).
  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Chair, my colleague from the other side of the aisle 
just talked about electric vehicles and how clean they are.
  Well, let me ask you something. Why would you mine those critical 
minerals, Mr. Chair, in a foreign adversarial land under zero 
environmental standards and zero labor standards, when we can do it 
better here in this country?
  In the district that I have the privilege of representing, we have 
the biggest copper-nickel find in the world to help mine these critical 
minerals safely.
  My colleagues on the other side of the aisle and this administration, 
Mr. Chair, won't even let us mine those minerals here in the United 
States of America. They would rather have the polluting Chinese 
Communist Party mine these minerals and then say we want to get to this 
green energy and turn a blind eye to the atrocities and the child slave 
labor coming from the communist country of China and the Congo where 15 
of those 19 industrial mines are owned by the Chinese communist country 
who employ child slave labor.
  Don't tell me that electric vehicles are cleaner.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Chairman, let me explain this. As I said, auto dealers 
themselves, since we put this in place, cannot sell these vehicles. No 
one wants them even if the government is trying to force us to take 
them.
  They are offering tax incentives. They are offering everything that 
you think would drive somebody to purchase a vehicle they don't want.
  We, as United States citizens, and my constituents and your 
constituents, Mr. Chair, know and understand that we are consumers. We 
kind of like this freedom thing we have in this Nation. We want to make 
sure that that freedom works for us.
  I am going to tell you, it is vitally important that our farmers have 
vehicles that are affordable, that are reliable, and that they can do 
the job of providing the food, fiber, and all of the things that we 
require from our farmers to make sure that we can feed the world.
  Mr. Chairman, if we continue down this path, it doesn't allow them to 
do that. I encourage all the Members to support this amendment. I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment No. 68 Offered by Mr. McCormick

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 68 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the spending reduction 
     account) insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement the revised guidance entitled ``Marketed 
     Unapproved Drugs--Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 440.100, 
     Marketed New Drugs Without Approved NDAs or ANDAs'', 
     published by the Food and Drug Administration in the Federal 
     Register on September 21, 2011 (76 Fed. Reg. 58398) (or any 
     guidance of the same substance).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. McCormick) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer my amendment No. 68 to H.R. 
4368, the Agricultural, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
  Amendment No. 68 prohibits funding for the implementation of the 
Unapproved Drug Initiative. This initiative causes generic drugs that 
have historically low prices to have their prices skyrocket, which 
ultimately hurts families across the Nation.
  Because of the Unapproved Drug Initiative, many generic drugs that 
have been used for centuries were removed from the market and awarded 
to large pharmaceutical companies to seek new drug applications, which 
has led to monopolistic practices.
  On top of this, the new drug manufacturer was granted a period of 
market exclusivity and aggressively used the courts to block other drug 
companies from marketing cheaper generic alternatives for years.
  The best example of this issue is in the pricing of the therapeutic 
drug colchicine. When I was a resident at Grady Hospital through the 
Emory ER residency program, I treated patients with colchicine for 
gout.
  The drug had been around for centuries. It was a cheap drug. The 
average American could afford it. It cost about $11.
  After this initiative, colchicine increased nearly 16-fold from about 
$11 in 2009 to $190 in 2011. The average family cannot afford that.
  As of 2020, price increases of drugs through the Unapproved Drug 
Initiative have increased U.S. health spending by $3.2 billion.
  High drug costs do not only interfere with appropriate use of 
medications, but they force families to make impossible choices between 
their healthcare and other basic needs.
  If reinstated, the Unapproved Drug Initiative would target an 
estimated 1,500 drugs. Even one increase would punish all of us, 
whether destitute or well-insured.
  The only one who wins is Big Pharma. We all lose. That is why I urge 
my colleagues to support amendment No. 68, which serves as a safeguard 
to ensure that the FDA does not continue to implement the Unapproved 
Drug Initiative, which is hurting Americans and placing an undue burden 
on the healthcare system.
  To be clear, there will never be a good use for this. It can only be 
used to profit and cannot benefit people we serve, especially the most 
vulnerable.
  I appeal to my fellow Georgian, my fellow servant, my fellow 
Christian, join me in a nonpartisan effort to protect the American 
people.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. McCormick).
  The amendment was agreed to.


          Amendment No. 69 Offered by Mrs. Miller of Illinois

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 69 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the spending reduction 
     account), insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement

[[Page H4543]]

     any recommendation specified in the Interim Report 2023 
     issued by the USDA Equity Commission established pursuant to 
     section 1006(b)(3) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
     (135 Stat. 13).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Mrs. Miller) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Chair, under the Biden administration, 
the Department of Agriculture is being forced to pander to the left's 
extreme ideology instead of helping farmers in rural communities.
  While farmers struggle with the increasing cost of inputs caused by 
the Biden administration, the Biden Department of Agriculture is 
focusing on equity and climate change.
  The Department of Agriculture's job is to support farmers and rural 
communities, not political equity reports.
  I urge my colleagues to stand with me and support this amendment to 
ensure that no funds go toward the Biden administration's woke agenda 
policies.
  Let us refocus the USDA on its core mission of supporting farmers in 
rural communities.
  I urge the adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment. This 
amendment would prohibit funding for carrying out the recommendations 
of the interim report of the USDA Equity Commission.
  The Equity Commission has made 32 initial recommendations on a range 
of topics such as environmental justice, increasing financial support 
for minority-serving institutions, and ensuring farmworkers have access 
to nutrition programs, among other topics.

                              {time}  2350

  These recommendations are a great first step toward addressing 
historic inequities and we should all support them.
  Therefore, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Chair, it is time to refocus the USDA on 
its core mission of supporting our farmers and rural communities.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings 
will now resume on those amendments printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 on which further proceedings were postponed, in the following 
order:
  Amendment No. 24 by Mr. Good of Virginia.
  Amendment No. 29 by Mr. Biggs of Arizona.
  Amendment No. 33 by Mr. Biggs of Arizona.
  Amendment No. 41 by Mr. Brecheen of Oklahoma.
  Amendment No. 43 by Mr. Brecheen of Oklahoma.
  Amendment No. 45 by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
  Amendment No. 54 by Mr. Biggs of Arizona.
  Amendment No. 57 by Mr. Biggs of Arizona.
  Amendment No. 61 by Mr. Biggs of Arizona.
  The Chair will reduce to 2 minutes the minimum time for any 
electronic vote after the first vote in this series.


            Amendment No. 24 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 24, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 175, 
noes 254, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 408]

                               AYES--175

     Aderholt
     Alford
     Allen
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Arrington
     Babin
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Bean (FL)
     Bentz
     Bergman
     Bice
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Bost
     Brecheen
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Carey
     Carl
     Carter (GA)
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Cole
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Curtis
     Davidson
     De La Cruz
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Donalds
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ellzey
     Emmer
     Estes
     Ezell
     Fallon
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fleischmann
     Foxx
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garcia, Mike
     Gimenez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill
     Houchin
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Jackson (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (PA)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Latta
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luetkemeyer
     Luttrell
     Malliotakis
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McClain
     McClintock
     McCormick
     Meuser
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Moran
     Moylan
     Nehls
     Newhouse
     Norman
     Obernolte
     Ogles
     Owens
     Palmer
     Perry
     Pfluger
     Posey
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Rosendale
     Rouzer
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Self
     Sessions
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Strong
     Tenney
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Walberg
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym
     Zinke

                               NOES--254

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balint
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Dunn (FL)
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Fitzpatrick
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Frankel, Lois
     Frost
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Joyce (OH)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     LaLota
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Lynch
     Mace
     Magaziner
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCaul
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Mfume
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Ross
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan
     Salazar
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Slotkin
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton

[[Page H4544]]


     Stevens
     Strickland
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Orden
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (NY)
     Wilson (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     McHenry
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan
     Scholten

                              {time}  1319

  Mr. COHEN changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  Messrs. JOHNSON of Ohio, MILLER of Ohio, CRAWFORD, and ADERHOLT 
changed their vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                 Amendment No. 29 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Murphy). The unfinished business is the demand 
for a recorded vote on amendment No. 29, printed in part F of House 
Report 118-216 offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), on 
which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes 
prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 119, 
noes 307, not voting 13, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 409]

                               AYES--119

     Amodei
     Arrington
     Babin
     Banks
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Cammack
     Carter (GA)
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Crenshaw
     Curtis
     Davidson
     Donalds
     Edwards
     Ellzey
     Emmer
     Estes
     Fallon
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fitzgerald
     Fleischmann
     Foxx
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Higgins (LA)
     Houchin
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Jackson (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Jordan
     Joyce (PA)
     Kustoff
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luttrell
     Mace
     Malliotakis
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McClintock
     McCormick
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Moran
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Owens
     Palmer
     Perry
     Pfluger
     Posey
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Salazar
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Self
     Sessions
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Steel
     Steube
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Drew
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Westerman
     Williams (NY)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Zinke

                               NOES--307

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allen
     Allred
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Calvert
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carey
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Duncan
     Dunn (FL)
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Ezell
     Feenstra
     Fischbach
     Fitzpatrick
     Fletcher
     Foster
     Foushee
     Frankel, Lois
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Frost
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     LaHood
     LaLota
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Luetkemeyer
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McGarvey
     McHenry
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (WA)
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Tenney
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Duyne
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Wenstrup
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym

                             NOT VOTING--13

     Barr
     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Flood
     Lucas
     Luna
     McGovern
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan
     Scholten
     Van Orden


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  1734

  Ms. FOXX and Mr. JACKSON of Texas changed their vote from ``no'' to 
``aye.''
  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                 Amendment No. 33 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 33, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This will be a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 106, 
noes 323, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 410]

                               AYES--106

     Arrington
     Banks
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Carey
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Curtis
     Davidson
     Donalds
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Emmer
     Estes
     Fallon
     Fitzgerald
     Foxx
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Graves (LA)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Hageman
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill
     Houchin
     Hudson
     Hunt
     Jackson (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Jordan
     Joyce (PA)
     Kelly (MS)
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Latta
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luttrell
     Mace
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McClintock
     McCormick
     McHenry
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Moran
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Owens
     Palmer
     Perry
     Pfluger
     Reschenthaler
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Salazar
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Self
     Sessions
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Steel
     Steube
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Waltz

[[Page H4545]]


     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams (NY)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)

                               NOES--323

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allen
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Dunn (FL)
     Ellzey
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Ezell
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Frankel, Lois
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Frost
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Granger
     Graves (MO)
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Harder (CA)
     Harris
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Kustoff
     LaLota
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Luetkemeyer
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Posey
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Santos
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (WA)
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Tenney
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Orden
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Weber (TX)
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym
     Zinke

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Barr
     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan
     Velazquez


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  2048

  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                Amendment No. 41 Offered by Mr. Breechen

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 41, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Breechen), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 86, 
noes 343, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 411]

                                AYES--86

     Arrington
     Babin
     Banks
     Barr
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Carey
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Curtis
     Davidson
     Donalds
     Edwards
     Ellzey
     Estes
     Fallon
     Foxx
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Higgins (LA)
     Hudson
     Jackson (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Jordan
     Kustoff
     Lamborn
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luttrell
     Massie
     McClintock
     McCormick
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Murphy
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Owens
     Palmer
     Perry
     Posey
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Salazar
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Self
     Smith (MO)
     Spartz
     Steel
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Duyne
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)

                               NOES--343

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allen
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Duncan
     Dunn (FL)
     Emmer
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Ezell
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Frankel, Lois
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Frost
     Gallagher
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houchin
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     LaHood
     LaLota
     LaMalfa
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Luetkemeyer
     Lynch
     Mace
     Magaziner
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Manning
     Mast
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     McHenry
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (WI)
     Moran
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Pfluger
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sessions
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Smucker
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Tenney

[[Page H4546]]


     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Drew
     Van Orden
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (NY)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym
     Zinke

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan
     Steube
     Waltz


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  2435

  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                Amendment No. 43 Offered by Mr. BrechEen

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 43, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. BrechEen), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 89, 
noes 341, not voting 9, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 412]

                                AYES--89

     Allen
     Arrington
     Babin
     Banks
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Cammack
     Carter (GA)
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Davidson
     DesJarlais
     Donalds
     Duncan
     Ellzey
     Estes
     Fallon
     Foxx
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (LA)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Grothman
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Houchin
     Hudson
     Jackson (TX)
     Jordan
     Kelly (MS)
     Lamborn
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luttrell
     Massie
     Mast
     McClintock
     McCormick
     Miller (WV)
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Owens
     Palmer
     Perry
     Posey
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Self
     Smith (MO)
     Spartz
     Steube
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Duyne
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Yakym

                               NOES--341

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Barr
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Calvert
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carey
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Curtis
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Dunn (FL)
     Edwards
     Emmer
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Ezell
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Frankel, Lois
     Frost
     Gallagher
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Graves (MO)
     Green, Al (TX)
     Griffith
     Grijalva
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (LA)
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaLota
     LaMalfa
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Luetkemeyer
     Lynch
     Mace
     Magaziner
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     McHenry
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Mills
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (UT)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Pfluger
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salazar
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Sessions
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Smucker
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Tenney
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Drew
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Webster (FL)
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (NY)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Zinke

                             NOT VOTING--9

     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan
     Van Orden


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  2736

  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                 Amendment No. 45 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 45, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry), on 
which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes 
prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This will be a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 68, 
noes 362, not voting 9, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 413]

                                AYES--68

     Arrington
     Barr
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Burchett
     Burlison
     Carl
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Davidson
     Donalds
     Ellzey
     Estes
     Gaetz
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Graves (LA)
     Green (TN)
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Higgins (LA)
     Hudson
     Johnson (LA)
     Jordan
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Mace
     Malliotakis
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McClintock
     McCormick
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Palmer
     Perry
     Posey
     Rogers (AL)
     Roy
     Salazar
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Self
     Smith (MO)
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Steube
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Waltz
     Webster (FL)
     Wilson (SC)

                               NOES--362

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allen
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Banks
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Burgess
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas

[[Page H4547]]


     Carey
     Carson
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crane
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Curtis
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Duncan
     Dunn (FL)
     Edwards
     Emmer
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Ezell
     Fallon
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Foxx
     Frankel, Lois
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Frost
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gallagher
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Granger
     Graves (MO)
     Green, Al (TX)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grijalva
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Hern
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houchin
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson (TX)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaLota
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Lesko
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Loudermilk
     Luetkemeyer
     Luttrell
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     McHenry
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (UT)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Owens
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Pfluger
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Rosendale
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sessions
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Tenney
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Van Orden
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Weber (TX)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (NY)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym
     Zinke

                             NOT VOTING--9

     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     Norcross
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  3041

  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                 Amendment No. 54 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 54, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This will be a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 83, 
noes 348, not voting 8, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 414]

                                AYES--83

     Arrington
     Babin
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Cammack
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Davidson
     Donalds
     Duncan
     Ellzey
     Estes
     Fallon
     Ferguson
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Hunt
     Jackson (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Jordan
     Joyce (PA)
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luttrell
     Mace
     Massie
     Mast
     McClintock
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Perry
     Posey
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Self
     Spartz
     Steube
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Walberg
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Zinke

                               NOES--348

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allen
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Banks
     Barr
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Calvert
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carey
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Curtis
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Dunn (FL)
     Edwards
     Emmer
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Ezell
     Feenstra
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Foxx
     Frankel, Lois
     Frost
     Gallagher
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Granger
     Green, Al (TX)
     Griffith
     Grijalva
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (LA)
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houchin
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Hudson
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaLota
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Luetkemeyer
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McCormick
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     McHenry
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (UT)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Owens
     Pallone
     Palmer
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Pfluger
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan
     Salazar
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Santos
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sessions
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Smucker
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Tenney
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Orden
     Vargas
     Vasquez

[[Page H4548]]


     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (NY)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym

                             NOT VOTING--8

     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  3404

  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                 Amendment No. 57 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 57, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This will be a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 81, 
noes 350, not voting 8, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 415]

                                AYES--81

     Arrington
     Babin
     Barr
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Davidson
     Donalds
     Duncan
     Ellzey
     Fallon
     Fitzgerald
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Grothman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Hunt
     Jackson (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Jordan
     Joyce (PA)
     Kelly (PA)
     Lamborn
     Latta
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luttrell
     Mace
     Massie
     Mast
     McClintock
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Owens
     Perry
     Posey
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Self
     Spartz
     Steube
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Walberg
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Zinke

                               NOES--350

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allen
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Banks
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carey
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Curtis
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Dunn (FL)
     Edwards
     Emmer
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Estes
     Evans
     Ezell
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Foxx
     Frankel, Lois
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Frost
     Fry
     Gallagher
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green, Al (TX)
     Griffith
     Grijalva
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hageman
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (LA)
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houchin
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Hudson
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (MS)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaLota
     LaMalfa
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Luetkemeyer
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McCormick
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     McHenry
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (UT)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Palmer
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Pfluger
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salazar
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sessions
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Smucker
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Tenney
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Orden
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (NY)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym

                             NOT VOTING--8

     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  3712

  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                 Amendment No. 61 Offered by Mr. Biggs

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 61, printed in part F of House Report 
118-216 offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This will be a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 105, 
noes 325, not voting 9, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 416]

                               AYES--105

     Allen
     Arrington
     Babin
     Banks
     Bean (FL)
     Biggs
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Brecheen
     Buck
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Carey
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Curtis
     Davidson
     DesJarlais
     Donalds
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Emmer
     Estes
     Fallon
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fitzgerald
     Foxx
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Garcia, Mike
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Grothman
     Guest
     Hageman
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Higgins (LA)
     Houchin
     Hudson
     Hunt
     Jackson (TX)
     Jordan
     Joyce (PA)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lee (FL)
     Lesko
     Loudermilk
     Luttrell
     Mace
     Malliotakis
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McClintock
     Meuser
     Miller (WV)
     Mills
     Mooney
     Moore (UT)
     Moran
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Palmer
     Perry
     Posey
     Reschenthaler
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Salazar
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Self
     Sessions
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Stauber
     Steube
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Drew
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Westerman
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Zinke

                               NOES--325

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Alford
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Balint
     Barr
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley

[[Page H4549]]


     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Ciscomani
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     De La Cruz
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duarte
     Dunn (FL)
     Ellzey
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Ezell
     Feenstra
     Fischbach
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foster
     Foushee
     Frankel, Lois
     Frost
     Gallagher
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Gimenez
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Gottheimer
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green, Al (TX)
     Griffith
     Grijalva
     Guthrie
     Harder (CA)
     Harris
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Issa
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Joyce (OH)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     LaLota
     Landsman
     Langworthy
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Letlow
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Luetkemeyer
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Mann
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McCormick
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     McHenry
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller-Meeks
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Owens
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Pfluger
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Strong
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Tenney
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Van Duyne
     Van Orden
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (NY)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym

                             NOT VOTING--9

     Bush
     Carter (TX)
     Lucas
     Luna
     Peltola
     Pence
     Radewagen
     Sablan
     Takano


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.

                              {time}  4105

  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

  Ms. BUSH. Mr. Chair, I was not able to be present during today's full 
first vote series or the second series. Had I been present, I would 
have voted NAY on rollcall No. 404, NAY on rollcall No. 405, YEA on 
rollcall No. 407, NAY on rollcall No. 408, NAY on rollcall No. 409, NAY 
on rollcall No. 410, NAY on rollcall No. 411, NAY on rollcall No. 412, 
NAY on rollcall No. 413, NAY on rollcall No. 414, NAY on rollcall No. 
415, and NAY on rollcall No. 416.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 70 will 
not be offered.


                Amendment No. 71 Offered by Ms. Hageman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 71 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the spending reduction 
     account), insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  No funds made available by this Act may be 
     provided to the World Health Organization.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Wyoming.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in favor of my amendment No. 71 to 
H.R. 4368, which prevents American tax dollars from being used to fund 
the World Health Organization.
  In the bill currently before us, the FDA is seeking to provide 
funding to the WHO to advance and expand tobacco product regulation 
under the Building Research Capacity in Global Tobacco Product 
Regulation grant program.
  The United States has consistently been the largest contributor in 
the world to the WHO, topping the charts in 2020 at over $116 million, 
nearly twice as much as China, which contributed about 12 percent of 
the organization's total that same year.
  This is the same WHO that refused to act on or publicize warnings 
from Taiwan that the new respiratory infection now known as COVID-19 
was a threat to humans.

                              {time}  0050

  Ms. HAGEMAN. They instead chose to echo the lies coming out of China, 
that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
  Mr. Chairman, my constituents sent me to Washington, D.C., with the 
mandate to stop sending taxpayer dollars to the WHO, an entity which 
covers for the CCP, helped cover up the COVID outbreak, and routinely 
attempts to infringe of the sovereignty of Americans in furtherance of 
its globalist agenda.
  I say all this to repeat what the American people rightly know. That 
the WHO is a corrupt organization which bends to the Chinese Communist 
Party and does not deserve a cent of American tax dollars, no matter 
through which account this money is distributed.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise to claim the time in 
opposition to this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, setting aside whether this 
amendment is misplaced in the Agriculture appropriations bill, this 
amendment is simply bad policy.
  We are still fighting the lingering effects of a once-in-a-lifetime 
pandemic and attempts to cut funding for the World Health Organization 
would hamper work to monitor any new variants of COVID-19.
  Moreover, the World Health Organization's work extends far beyond 
just responding to COVID. Cutting funds for the World Health 
Organization will affect efforts on other diseases and illnesses, 
including polio or the flu.
  Efforts to disengage with the WHO through our bill are misguided and 
do nothing to address any concerns about accountability, transparency, 
or cost efficiency.
  This is not a good amendment. I urge its defeat, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Indiana (Mrs. Houchin).
  Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. I 
thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming for yielding and for her leadership 
on this issue.
  I share the concern of many of my constituents with respect to the 
World Health Organization or the WHO, particularly with respect to the 
recent track record related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  In fact, I supported President Trump's efforts to remove the United 
States from the WHO. Our tax dollars are precious. Tax dollars should 
only be spent on necessary programs and necessary programs only.
  We should be prioritizing our limited resources within organizations 
that have a track record of delivering for the American people.
  Frankly, based on the WHO's own record, I struggle to say the WHO 
fits into that category. We have had to

[[Page H4550]]

make a lot of tough decisions about what to spend taxpayer dollars on, 
about what to cut and what not to cut.
  An international organization with a dangerous record of protecting 
the world from the spread of diseases just does not meet the simple 
threshold. Are American taxpayers getting what they are paying for?
  Again, I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming for her efforts to bring 
this to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Chair, it is simply not in the interest of Americans 
to have their tax dollars going toward a program that studies the 
health burden of tobacco in other countries.
  This is simply an attempt to export the Federal nanny State into 
other countries through one of the most corrupt international 
organizations ever known.
  What we should be focusing on is domestic deregulation, not global 
governance. After everything we have been through over the last few 
years, after witnessing the WHO's complete and utter incompetence 
during the spread of COVID-19, after witnessing them turn a blind eye 
time and time again to the CCP's culpability, you would think that we 
would have learned that American tax dollars should go to American 
priorities and not the priorities of our adversaries.
  Having any funding for the WHO in any appropriations bill is 
inconsistent with the stated goal of the 118th Congress to defund the 
WHO completely.
  They are a failed puppet organization of Communist China. I urge my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support my amendment. I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 72 Offered by Mr. Crawford

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 72 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the spending reduction 
     account), insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to close or continue closing offices of the Farm 
     Service Agency, including any such offices still on a closed 
     or hybrid schedule related to COVID-19.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Chair, we need to have a nationwide conversation 
about USDA's Farm Service Agency's staffing levels that have suffered 
as a result of COVID-19.
  USDA operates over 2,000 FSA county offices around the country. Its 
mission is to serve all farmers, ranchers, and ag partners through the 
delivery of effective and efficient agricultural programs such as 
commodity support programs, farm ownership, operating, and emergency 
loans, disaster assistance, and other ad hoc disaster assistance 
programs.
  One of the FSA's greatest strengths is its grassroots delivery system 
of farm programs to the agency's customers, meaning FSA's programs are 
delivered through an extensive network of county offices and local FSA 
employees.
  Producer-elected county committees comprised of farmers in the local 
area are responsible for overseeing FSA programs and services delivered 
to the farming community.
  This local oversight of farm programs enables FSA to maintain close 
relationships with farmers and ranchers, address their needs in a 
timely manner, preserve and improve the integrity of Federal farm 
programs, and provide production agriculture with the tools they need 
to produce the world's best ag products.
  Unfortunately, the FSA county office footprint has been impacted by 
employee retirements and USDA's inability to attract high-level talent 
and onboard new employees.
  Producers in my district continue to raise the lack of FSA staff as 
one of the main reasons for program delivery delays.
  Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic made a bad situation worse at FSA, but 
the pandemic is over, and we must continue bringing our Federal, State, 
and local workforces back into the office and refill positions that 
were lost during the pandemic.
  This also means putting an effective end to any offices that may 
still be operating on a closed or hybrid schedule related to COVID-19.
  We cannot afford to have the FSA understaffed or teleworking, and 
thus unable to provide the expected level of customer service needed on 
the farm.
  This is a disservice to farmers and producers everywhere. It is long 
past time we had a conversation about why we can't get farmers and 
ranchers the basic help they need.
  I hear from farmers and ranchers all the time about how they still 
have problems contacting their local FSA offices and how they never 
receive a response, even after multiple inquiries.
  That is not farm service. This amendment finally ends the COVID-19 
pandemic in FSA offices, but it also highlights the need for the 
Department of Agriculture to focus on maintaining FSA's county office 
footprint and delivering farm programs.
  I call on my colleagues to support my amendment in returning our FSA 
county agents to work and urge the Secretary of Agriculture to take 
action by adequately staffing FSA county offices.
  I thank the chairman, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise to claim the time in 
opposition to this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, this amendment would prevent the 
closing of offices of the Farm Service Agency for any reason.
  Although it mentions COVID-19, the prohibition amendment would not be 
limited to closures related to COVID.
  The Crawford amendment is duplicative of the stronger, clearer 
proviso on page 25, lines 8 through 10 of the bill that is being 
considered where it says: Provided further that none of the funds 
available to the farm service agencies shall be used to close Farm 
Service Agency county offices.
  Therefore, this amendment is unnecessary because it would create a 
restriction that the legislation already contains.

                              {time}  0100

  We don't know what the future of COVID or any future pandemic or 
disaster may hold, so we shouldn't impose such a broad restriction. 
This is duplicative.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Chair, I am glad to hear the ranking member 
actually agrees with me. We can say that this is actually a good 
amendment because it contains language that sounds like he actually 
supports.
  Madam Chair, I urge adoption of the amendment and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR (Ms. Van Duyne). The question is on the amendment 
offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 73 Offered by Mrs. Cammack

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 73 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be made available to finalize any 
     rule or regulation that meets the definition of section 
     804(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Florida (Mrs. Cammack) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.

[[Page H4551]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment 
which would restrict taxpayer funds from being used to finalize any 
rule or regulation that has resulted in or is likely to result in an 
annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more at the Department 
of Agriculture.
  During his first 2 years in office, the President added more than 
$300 billion in new regulatory costs to the economy. The American 
Action Forum found that the new rules in his first 2 years required 193 
million hours of compliance paperwork. That is 193 million hours to 
comply with new regulations from nameless, faceless bureaucrats.
  This commonsense proposal would restrict any major regulatory actions 
by USDA from going into effect without the approval of Congress 
beforehand. Our farmers and ranchers across the country have enough to 
deal with, including natural disasters, market conditions, increasing 
input costs, trade issues, and the list goes on.
  Our Nation's farmers, ranchers, and producers should not have to 
worry about the ever-changing environment in Washington with regard to 
regulations. Moreover, these costly regulations ultimately harm 
consumers who end up paying a higher price for their food, fiber, and 
fuel.
  These days, these major rules and regulations are simply a way for 
agencies to circumvent Congress on major policy decisions to implement 
the political will of whatever party is in office at the time.
  As the Nation's legislative body, we must reassert our constitutional 
role and prevent regulatory overreach. It doesn't matter if there is a 
Republican or Democrat in the White House, the American people should 
not be burdened by and forced to pay for the overreaching regulations 
that are rooted in nothing more than a political agenda.
  Madam Chair, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this 
amendment to protect our Nation's farmers and ranchers and to prevent 
overreach. We certainly can cut spending, Lord knows we need to. Until 
we change the way we do business here in Washington, and this amendment 
does that, we will not change a thing.
  Madam Chair, I urge passage of this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, the amendment prohibits the 
administration from finalizing any rules with significant economic 
impacts. The amendment adds to the pile of bad policy riders aimed at 
tying the administration's hands when it comes to carrying out the laws 
passed by Congress.
  It will stop USDA, FDA, and CFTC from finalizing regulations that are 
designed to keep the food and drug supply safe, the environment 
healthy, and markets stable.
  This amendment has little to do with an appropriations bill, and even 
less to do with supporting farmers or rural America.
  While I can understand the gentlewoman's intentions, I must 
respectfully oppose the amendment and urge my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Chair, respectfully, I disagree with my 
colleague. However, I can't think of a single Member in this Chamber 
who would willfully give up their constitutional oversight 
responsibilities that their constituents have sent them up here to 
Washington to engage in.
  I think it is time that we reassert Article I authority, but more 
importantly, make sure that we are being mindful of the inflationary 
costs that are burdening our consumers as well as our producers in this 
country.
  Madam Chair, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment No. 74 Offered by Mr. Van Orden

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 74 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. VAN ORDEN. Madam Chair, I rise to offer amendment No. 74 as the 
designee of Mr. Steil from the great State of Wisconsin.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  For the Agricultural Marketing Service for dairy 
     business innovation initiatives as authorized by section 
     12513 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 
     1632d), there is hereby appropriated $10,000,000, and the 
     amount made available by this Act for the Agricultural 
     Marketing Service is hereby reduced by, $10,000,000.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
  Mr. VAN ORDEN. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment. 
This amendment funds the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives, which 
supports our dairy farmers in the development, production, marketing, 
and distribution of their products.
  Wisconsin is America's dairyland and this important program is why I 
also introduced, along with my great colleague, Bryan Steil, the Dairy 
Business Innovation Act, that looks to increase the authorization from 
$20 million to $36 million, a 55 percent increase.
  Wisconsin is home to nearly 6,000 dairy herds that produce over 2.7 
billion pounds of milk a month. In fact, in our district, there are 
many counties where our cows outnumber people by a ratio of 4-to-1.
  Since President Biden took office, costs have risen by over 15 
percent for Wisconsin families. Our agriculture industry is paying the 
price as Bidenflation makes it more expensive for farmers to fuel 
equipment, feed their livestock, and run their businesses.
  This amendment would help ease the burden of Bidenflation for our 
farmers and ensure that they are able to continue the innovations in 
today's uncertain economic times. We must ensure that Wisconsin dairy 
farmers continue to be able to feed the world.
  The time for fearmongering with our farmers is over. I came to this 
body to legislate, not bloviate. I encourage my colleague from the 
great State of Wisconsin, who spoke so passionately earlier on this 
initiative, to spend more time reading legislation versus X--formerly 
known as Twitter--because if he had he would realize that this 
amendment was proposed in July.
  Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues, especially those in the 
Wisconsin delegation, to cosponsor my bill and support this amendment; 
to not do so is clearly putting politics over our farmers. Actions 
speak louder than words.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I am a strong supporter of our 
Nation's dairy farmers in the southeast and in Georgia, but I must 
regretfully decline to support this amendment.
  The Agricultural Marketing Service, from which the funds will be 
taken, is equally as important, and it supports farmers in all segments 
of agriculture.
  The Initiative, which goes to entities only in four States got $80 
million from the American Rescue Plan just 15 months ago. The offset 
from the Agricultural Marketing Service is one that many, many Members, 
certainly on my side, deeply value.
  It does great work, particularly for our specialty crop producers, 
and it is already underfunded due to the manager's amendment.
  Madam Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I ask my 
colleagues to vote ``no'' also.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  0110

  Unfortunately, my great colleague is not conflating or confusing 
apples and

[[Page H4552]]

oranges, it is almonds and cheese curds. These moneys are designated to 
make sure that our dairy industry is intact. We either support small 
family farms or we do not. Money talks, and I will not finish the rest 
of that colloquialism.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden).
  The amendment was agreed to.


          Amendment No. 75 Offered by Mrs. Miller of Illinois

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 75 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used for Climate Hubs.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Mrs. Miller) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Madam Chair, the FDA is no place for the 
left to push their radical climate agenda. While farmers face real 
problems, like rising input costs, the left wants to make sure that the 
green bad deal infiltrates every aspect of our lives.
  Under the Biden administration, the USDA came out with an Action Plan 
for Climate Adaptation and Resilience. Instead of promoting the left's 
climate priorities, USDA should be focused on promoting policies that 
actually help farmers. That is why my amendment makes sure no Federal 
funds go toward the USDA's climate hubs. I urge my colleagues to vote 
``yes'' on the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, USDA's climate hubs were created 
to promote robust and healthy agricultural production and natural 
resources under increasing climate variability and climate change.
  Climate hubs develop and deliver science-based, region-specific 
information and technologies to USDA agencies and its partners, 
including Federal and State agencies, extensions, and Tribes to make 
our communities and our Nation more resilient to climate change.
  They provide outreach and education to farmers, ranchers, and forest 
landowners on the effects of climate change on their working lands.
  We are all witnessing drought, extreme weather events, and changing 
growing seasons, so why would we want to prohibit aiding farmers, 
ranchers, and forest landowners understand and respond to climate 
change on their working lands? Why would we want to prohibit these 10 
regional climate hubs from providing usable regional data and forecasts 
to underserved and vulnerable communities, Tribes, and individuals that 
can help their land be more productive?
  This amendment does not save the American taxpayer money. In fact, it 
jeopardizes our food security, our economy, and the lives and 
livelihoods of many across the Nation. I urge my colleagues to reject 
this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Madam Chair, with due respect to the 
gentleman from Georgia, the farmers in my district recognize climate 
change as summer, winter, spring, and fall, and we would like the USDA 
to focus on policies that actually help producers and rural 
communities.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 76 Offered by Mrs. Spartz

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 76 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. SPARTZ. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to carry out any program established under a 
     commodity promotion law (as such term is defined in section 
     501 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 
     1996 (7 U.S.C. 7401)).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Indiana.
  Mrs. SPARTZ. Madam Chair, I know that accountability is a foreign 
concept in Washington, D.C., and there is no lobby for the people, but 
I would like to lobby for real farmers and consumers as a farmer 
myself. And, also, I have a cosponsor of my amendment, an actual real 
farmer, too. I would like to stand with the farmers.
  My amendment is very simple. Farmers used to pay a voluntary checkoff 
fee when they do a checkoff to promote their commodities to boards, 
nonprofit boards. Well, Congress decided to make this fee mandatory and 
no transparency. If you are going to force farmers to pay some money, I 
think farmers need to know where the money goes. Do they promote 
commodities or promote jobs for very wealthy people in fancy suits? 
Farmers are working hard for this money.
  My amendment has two parts, to help promote transparency with trying 
to do the farm bill, but also no taxpayer money should be used unless 
we know what is happening with these checkoff dollars to be used to 
promote them. I believe no one argues that these moneys are not used 
for checkoff fees.
  This does not say that they cannot be used for checkoff fees. I 
thought this would be an easy amendment. Unfortunately, a lot of 
special interest groups that aren't supposed to even lobby with this 
money decided to go and attack: How can Congress ask accountability? 
How can Congress ask us what we are doing with the money? I believe now 
it has become imperative since they are lobbying with this money 
against this amendment, against transparency, I think it is becoming 
imperative that taxpayer dollars are not used or given to these boards 
until we figure out what is going on with the money.
  This is a very simple amendment. They say they are not using this 
money, so just clarify the intent of the Congress that no taxpayer 
dollars are going to be used or given to these boards who knows where 
they spend the money. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong 
opposition to this amendment. Research and promotion programs, commonly 
referred to as checkoffs, are time-tested programs that expand markets, 
increase consumer demand, develop new uses for those covered 
commodities, and, quite frankly, helps to fund the research that is 
needed to be able to deal with issues related to those crops or those 
commodities.
  These programs are voluntarily created by producers for producers, 
and they receive no taxpayer dollars for any of their activities or for 
USDA oversight of their activities.
  I am a strong supporter of research and promotion programs and will 
wholeheartedly advocate for their continued existence. I believe any 
debate surrounding the integrity of these programs should be reserved 
for farm bill deliberations due to the fact that no dollars from the 
bill that is up for consideration that we are talking about funds these 
programs.
  I look forward to engaging with my colleagues to explain the merits 
and the mechanics of checkoffs and encourage anyone who has questions 
about these programs to engage with their producers to hear firsthand 
about the

[[Page H4553]]

benefits of these programs. I specifically look forward to continuing 
conversations about these programs with the gentlewoman from Indiana.
  I urge my colleagues to stand with producers and join me in voting 
against this amendment. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. SPARTZ. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie).
  Mr. MASSIE. Madam Chair, I rise in support of this amendment, 
sponsored by my colleague and fellow farmer, Mrs. Spartz. The amendment 
states that none of the funds made available by this bill may be used 
to carry out commodity checkoff programs.
  These may have started out as well-intentioned, but it is pretty well 
known in Washington, D.C. that this program has gone rotten, and it no 
longer serves farmers. In fact, we have just sent a bipartisan letter 
from Senators and Members of this House to Secretary Vilsack reminding 
him that the USDA is required to report annually to Congress, 
describing activities conducted accounting for the receipt and 
disbursement of all funds and including an independent analysis of the 
effectiveness of the program. Yet the USDA hasn't submitted this report 
since 2019.

                              {time}  0120

  Yet, the USDA hasn't submitted this report since 2019. Since that 
time, American dairy farmers have paid nearly a billion dollars into 
this promotional program. At the same time, we have witnessed the loss 
of more than 6,000 dairy operations across our communities.
  Let me talk about the Beef Checkoff program. In 2010, an independent 
audit examining the equivalent of just 9 days of Beef Checkoff program 
spending found that the primary Beef Checkoff contractor, the National 
Cattlemen's Beef Association--that is right; I am calling out names--
had improperly spent more than $200,000 in checkoff dollars on lobbying 
and overseas vacations.
  Despite a Freedom of Information Act request and complaint, a full 
audit has not been released to the public. Additionally, this 
organization, NCBA, gets 70 percent of its revenue from the checkoff 
program. They are prohibited from lobbying, but they are one of the 
biggest lobbyers up here in Washington, D.C. They lobby against things 
that are antithetical to cattlemen. For instance, they were up here 
lobbying with the money paid to them by the cattlemen against country 
of origin labeling.
  They represent less than 5 percent of the industry. It is time to put 
them back to work for farmers. It is time to adopt Mrs. Spartz' 
amendment.
  Mrs. SPARTZ. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I yield such time as he 
may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Baird), the Agriculture 
Committee's Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee 
chairman.
  Mr. BAIRD. Madam Chair, today, I rise in opposition to the Spartz 
amendment No. 76. This amendment states that none of the funds made 
available by this appropriations bill may be used to carry out 
commodity checkoff programs.
  Checkoff programs function as research and promotion boards that help 
different commodities achieve industry success through market 
development, heightened demand, and expanded consumer awareness.
  This amendment proves factually unnecessary and inaccurate since no 
tax dollars are used to implement the checkoffs and no appropriated 
dollars are used to oversee them, pursuant to the statute. These 
programs benefit our Nation's agriculture industry and bolster the work 
that is being done by our farmers and ranchers who put food on the 
tables across the country.
  The continued success of these programs must not be interrupted and 
misguided by the lack of understanding and nongermane amendments.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.
  Mrs. SPARTZ. Madam Chair, if my colleagues are saying that no 
taxpayer funds are used for these programs, I don't think that should 
be a debate, just to clarify that no taxpayer funds are used for these 
programs.
  If they are so beneficial, I am looking forward to bringing 
transparency. They shouldn't be afraid to say that they are doing these 
great things for farmers, but so far, I have seen them serving large 
special interest groups and large monopolies, and farmers are becoming 
more and more consolidated because the little guy cannot survive.
  This is ultimately the decision of Congress to stand up for the 
little guy, for consumers, for farmers, or we will continue to cater to 
large special interest groups making big salaries. Secretary Vilsack 
was making over a million dollars on checkoff boards while farmers were 
going bankrupt.
  Congress needs to stop this insanity and not be afraid to challenge 
them and say that we do stand for the people, we lobby for the people, 
and we shouldn't be afraid.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I 
look forward to bring more transparency, but this is the clarity, and I 
don't see any opposition to something that everyone believes exists.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON from Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, once again, these 
checkoff programs are commodity group driven. There are no taxpayer 
dollars for any of the activities or for USDA oversight of these 
activities. I look forward to the farm bill process where we can 
continue discussions I have had with the gentlewoman from Indiana and 
with her staff to be able to look at how we improve transparency, how 
we refine these programs to provide her and others confidence in them.
  The attack on the checkoff programs really was rooted in animal 
rights organizations that have one goal, and that is to eliminate the 
livestock agriculture industry. Obviously, that is unacceptable, but 
increasing transparency is not unacceptable. I see the farm bill 
process as the appropriate path forward for that.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Indiana 
will be postponed.


                Amendment No. 77 Offered by Mrs. Boebert

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 77 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Deputy Under 
     Secretary of the Food and Nutrition Service of the Department 
     of Agriculture, occupied by Stacy Dean, is hereby reduced to 
     $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Colorado.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, this amendment decreases the salary of the 
Deputy Under Secretary of the Food and Nutrition Service.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I claim time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to 
this amendment.
  The amendment targets a dedicated leader in nutrition for apparently 
doing her job as the law required. With all the challenges that we face 
in feeding our Nation, we should not obstruct the agency charged with 
carrying out our nutrition policies.
  This House should hold its actions to the highest standards and not 
engage in attacks on individual officials in the executive branch.

[[Page H4554]]

  Madam Chair, I urge the defeat of this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, one moment. My apologies. I do not have 
amendment No. 77 in front of me, but, Madam Chair, I urge adoption of 
amendment No. 77 to be considered to decrease the salary of the Deputy 
Under Secretary.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Harris).

                              {time}  0130

  Mr. HARRIS. Madam Chair, the Thrifty Food Plan, this is the official 
political appointee who decided that the SNAP benefits weren't high 
enough, so they devised a new food plan that was used as a vehicle to 
just increase the SNAP benefits.
  The bottom line is we are spending over $100 billion a year. We have 
a $2 trillion deficit. We should reevaluate that increase in the 
Thrifty Food Plan that has resulted in a double-digit increase in SNAP 
benefits.
  What this amendment does is sends a clear signal to the 
administration that this probably wasn't a well-thought-out idea.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer my amendment that 
utilizes the Holman rule to reduce the salary of Deputy Under Secretary 
of the Food and Nutrition Services of the Department of Agriculture, 
Stacy Dean, to $1.
  As the Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer 
Services at USDA, Ms. Dean has spent her career helping bureaucrats use 
loopholes and gimmicks to gut requirements for able-bodied adults and 
bypass Federal eligibility requirements, even going as far as to help 
States make millionaires qualify for the program.
  The last thing Americans need are higher prices, fewer jobs, and the 
largest expansion of our welfare State in a lifetime. The Biden-Harris 
administration expansion of the welfare State abolishes work ethic and 
promotes a new generation of government dependency.
  I have lived under government dependency, and I am thankful that I 
have broken free of that cycle given my life experiences and developing 
work ethic. I am one of the few who was able to break free of that 
cycle of dependency.
  Stacy Dean, without Congressional approval, unilaterally increased 
Title IV of future farm bills by no less than $256 billion. Stacy Dean 
has spent her life's work concocting ways to expand the welfare State 
and was given latitude to do so under the Biden administration with no 
consequence, no oversight, and no boundaries. No amount of endless 
government checks can address the underlying challenges families face.
  The best way to help American families is with good-paying jobs, not 
endless government checks.
  Madam Chair, 25 years ago in the face of rising welfare caseloads, 
long durations in poverty, and no work for millions, Republicans and 
Democrats came together to reform the Nation's welfare system.
  These reforms were based on one simple idea: The best way out of 
poverty is a job. Even the Bible says if you don't work, you don't eat.
  Ms. Dean has also allowed a 25 percent increase to food stamp 
benefits, which was not only unprecedented, but abandoned the cost-
neutral policy the Department had followed for 45 years.
  Madam Chair, 25 years ago, in the face of rising welfare caseloads, 
long durations in poverty, and no work for millions, we said this was 
enough. That cannot be reiterated enough.
  This move displayed Dean's blatant disregard for program transparency 
by failing to even consult USDA's own chief economist. Worse yet, this 
move went far beyond Congressional authority granted under the 2018 
farm bill, all thanks to Ms. Dean.
  Ms. Dean even went as far as to expand woke LGBTQ+ free school lunch 
policies absent Congressional approval and direction.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and hold 
Ms. Dean accountable for going rogue in an administration that has 
ignored the direction of Congress.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert).
  The amendment was agreed to.


          Amendment No. 78 Offered by Mrs. Miller of Illinois

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 78 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the spending reduction 
     account), insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement the COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan 
     issued by the Department of Agriculture on February 7, 2023.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Mrs. Miller) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Madam Chair, President Biden's COVID mandate 
was illegal and unconstitutional, but his radical administration tried 
to force it through anyway. We will never forget that President Biden 
tried to use the Federal Government to fire 84 million struggling 
Americans from their jobs.
  Congress must pass this amendment to ensure that the Federal 
Government cannot implement its radical COVID agenda on Americans ever 
again.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, this Workplace Safety Plan was 
developed according to the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention. Decisions regarding the safety of Federal workers and 
returning to work should be driven by science and the methodical 
recommendation of experts not by broad Congressional mandates.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Madam Chair, we need to pass this amendment 
so that this can never happen again.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 79 Offered by Mrs. Boebert

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 79 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used for the Equity Commission of the Department of 
     Agriculture established pursuant to section 1006 of the 
     American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (7 U.S.C. 2279 note).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Colorado.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer my amendment to 
prohibit funding for the USDA's Equity Commission.
  Our farmers and ranchers are fed up with a government that is 
weaponized against them and are fed up paying for commissions that 
simply should not exist.
  The USDA Equity Commission was born out of a Biden executive order

[[Page H4555]]

calling for Federal departments to address, ``racial equity,'' because 
they believe even agriculture is racist.
  This Commission made over 30 recommendations to make the USDA more 
woke. This includes diversity training for farmers and ranchers, 
expanding language access, and even supporting legislation that removes 
restrictions on food stamp eligibility based on immigration status, or 
even criminal records.
  This commission also opened up the door for Joe Biden's racist $4 
billion plan for minority farmers and ranchers to pay their loans 
because the USDA is racist.
  Joe Biden's USDA is even holding school lunch money hostage to force 
a curriculum that sexualizes our children. This administration is 
acting like a schoolyard bully, saying, if you are not going to do what 
I want, I am going to take your lunch money. Quite literally.
  They are holding school districts hostage in order to shove their 
radical agenda down our throats to ensure biological men are allowed to 
use the same restroom as five-year-old girls. This is madness.
  This administration is so distracted by pandering to their own 
leftist agenda to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion that they 
simply cannot manage their policies that have driven the price of milk 
and eggs up over 50 percent for the average American family for those 
items.

                              {time}  0140

  Let's return our focus to our USDA to what it should be--providing 
leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, 
nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best 
available science--real science, please--and effective management, not 
pandering to the woke mob.
  I urge passage of my amendment and, Madam Chair, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in 
personalities toward the President.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I claim the time in opposition to the 
gentlewoman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. The USDA Equity Commission was set up in 2022 
to address the historic inequities in implementation of the programs by 
the Department of Agriculture.
  The Department has a long and storied history of discrimination, as 
evidenced by the billions of dollars that it has had to pay out as a 
result of discriminatory policies over the years.
  To quote directly from the USDA website regarding the commission: 
``At USDA, we acknowledge we have not done enough to provide all 
farmers and ranchers an equal chance of success and prosperity. We are 
committed to changing that, actively working to build a USDA that 
ensures none of our customers are ignored or left behind.''
  What is so threatening about that?
  The bill already came out of committee bearing harmful policy riders 
restricting the administration's efforts related to diversity, equity, 
and inclusion.
  The continued assault on equity initiatives at USDA is not helping 
our farmers. This amendment is a distraction from the real issues that 
are facing our farmers, and it does nothing to move us closer to a 
bipartisan conference agreement, an agreement we know we must reach to 
pass these appropriations bills.
  I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for 
offering this amendment.
  There is one thing the Federal Government should not do when it has a 
$2 trillion deficit, and that is do duplicative things in one 
department.
  There already is an Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture. There is no need for an Equity Commission. Oh, but that is 
right, we have got to get the word ``equity'' in there somewhere.
  I suggest maybe we should go back and just rename the Office of Civil 
Rights. It is cheaper, and with a $2 trillion deficit, that is probably 
what we ought to do.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Colorado 
will be postponed.


                  Amendment No. 80 Offered by Mr. Self

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 80 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. SELF. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

         At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert 
     the following:
         Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used for the Civilian Climate Corps.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Self) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SELF. Madam Chair, I rise to support my very simple amendment, 
which would prohibit any funds from this bill from being used toward 
the Civilian Climate Corps.
  The Biden administration continues to prioritize programs like the 
Civilian Climate Corps, which pushes Green New Deal policies that have 
proved to be costly and ineffective.
  Instead of pushing their Green New Deal agenda, this administration 
should instead focus on cutting wasteful spending and securing our 
southern border, rather than wasting taxpayer dollars on indoctrination 
on a leftist ideology that provides nothing of value to the economy.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I am perplexed that anyone would 
not want to provide good-paying jobs that will help our Nation tackle 
the climate crisis and build a stronger country.
  The goal of the Civilian Climate Corps is to put more than 20,000 
young people on career pathways in the growing fields of clean energy, 
conservation, and climate resilience.
  In launching this effort, President Biden is calling on Tribal, 
State, and local governments, labor unions, nonprofit service allies, 
the private sector, and philanthropy to collaborate with the Federal 
Government to build on current relationships and expand skills-based 
training partnerships to ensure that our workforce is ready to meet the 
climate crisis.
  We have seen the devastation to coastal communities impacted by 
hurricanes and tropical storms. Why would we not want to train our 
youth to restore coastal wetlands that can protect communities from 
storm surges?
  We know the damage and the loss that accompanies wildfires across our 
Nation, so why would we not want to train youth to manage forests, to 
improve health, and prevent catastrophic wildfires?
  We know the power of skills-based training as a tool to expand 
pathways into good-paying jobs. Let's not deny our youth this 
opportunity, and let's not deny our country the resources for our 
future.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SELF. Madam Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
Maryland.
  Mr. HARRIS. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from Texas for 
offering the amendment.
  It turns out in the wisdom of the committee we have already defunded 
the Civilian Climate Corps, but belts and suspenders is fine, I have no 
problem with that, because good-paying

[[Page H4556]]

jobs shouldn't come from the government, they should come in the 
private sector. That is why we don't need the Civilian Climate Corps. 
Oh, that is right, it has the word ``climate'' in it, so you have to 
create something in the Department with the word ``climate'' and with 
the word ``equity'' and with the words ``diversity'' and 
``inclusion''--the whole thing. We don't need it.
  Mr. SELF. Madam Chair, we borrow $6 billion a day. We throw the $2 
trillion number around all the time but, frankly, most of us don't 
understand a trillion.
  We borrow $6 billion a day toward that $2 trillion. We discuss a lot 
of inputs on the floor of the House, which means government spending, 
Federal spending. We rarely discuss outputs, and in this case there is 
very little output. We are talking about some inputs, Federal spending, 
but no outputs.
  This is simply an indoctrination program to the Green New Deal.
  Now, we also have a lot of noble sounding ideas coming across this 
floor, but in this case there is nothing positive. There is only 
spending.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 81 Offered by Mr. Burlison

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 81 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. BURLISON. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to carry out section 6(o)(4) of the Food and 
     Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(4)).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 81, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Burlison) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.

                              {time}  0150

  Mr. BURLISON. Madam Chair, everyone understands that if you add 
recipients to a program that has limited resources, the benefits of 
that program get diluted amongst those who are still receiving it. In 
essence, the safety net becomes stretched and sometimes may even break, 
which is why I rise in support of my amendment to eliminate a loophole 
in the SNAP program that is called the geographic work requirement 
waivers.
  These waivers have been abused for years by State bureaucracies to 
waive work requirements in areas with record-low unemployment and 
particularly waive them for able-bodied individuals, the very people 
who should be working.
  Current law allows for States to waive work requirements for those 
individuals in certain limited circumstances, but States have used this 
loophole to waive work requirements completely. In fact, 18 States have 
completely waived these work requirements. My amendment prevents this 
from happening.
  Having work requirements for food stamps or for SNAP is not a new or 
radical idea. It has been around since the 1990s. It was a bipartisan 
agreement that occurred, and it is a commonsense approach to ensure 
that those who can work should be working, thereby promoting self-
sufficiency while reducing the burden on taxpayers.
  Congress intended for these to be limited, but obviously, just like 
anything else the Federal Government touches, its intent has been 
distorted to ensure as many people as possible are dependent on the 
government.
  The USDA, in the late days of the Clinton administration, issued 
these loopholes, but now they have exploded to the point where 70 
percent of able-bodied adults do not have to be required to do any work 
requirements.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I rise in extremely strong 
opposition to this amendment.
  This amendment would take away all State waivers for able-bodied 
adults without dependents, the so-called ABAWDs. If employment is over 
10 percent or there are not sufficient jobs for people in the State, 
again, who are we to take that State's judgment away?
  If you think we will never experience these conditions again, think 
again. Neither you nor I can foresee the future. If these conditions do 
occur, what are the chances that these folks will find jobs?
  I cannot and will not support this amendment, nor will any of my 
Democratic colleagues. If it is included in a final conference report, 
I doubt my Democratic colleagues will provide the necessary votes for 
final passage, nor will President Biden sign it into law.
  It is a bad amendment. Let's vote it down.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURLISON. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for 
putting forth this amendment. It is common sense. Able-bodied people 
ought to work. That is the bottom line.
  There are two things about this program. One is that my colleague on 
the other side of the aisle says you never know, the economy could get 
bad. Now, this is only a 1-year amendment. We are only discussing the 
next fiscal year.
  The President has said this is a great economy. I don't know what we 
are worried about. The President has said this economy is great. So 
don't worry about this amendment. It shouldn't be a problem.
  The other thing is that this is one of the greatest State scams in 
the country right now. States vie with each other as to who can get 
this waiver. Do you know what, Madam Chair? This is no cost to the 
State. We could solve this problem by just asking States to have a 20 
percent copay.
  Do you think food stamps are a great deal or SNAP is a great deal? 
Great. The Federal Government pays 80, you pay 20, just like Medicaid. 
That means States will have skin in the game, and they won't go for 
these scams.
  Mr. BURLISON. Madam Chair, this program has blown up and expanded--
nearly a 60 percent increase since 2020 alone. This addition of 
individuals who are able-bodied is jeopardizing the program that we 
should make sure is available for individuals who truly need it, those 
individuals who are disabled, parents with children, and anyone who is 
a student. Those are the individuals who we all see and want to provide 
a safety net to.
  Let's not let these programs, which are so valuable to them, be 
diluted by individuals who should be working.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Burlison).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 82 Offered by Mrs. Cammack

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 82 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Chair, I rise to offer amendment No. 82 as the 
designee of Mr. Roy of Texas.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:

     SEC. __. NONE OF THE FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THIS ACT MAY BE 
                   USED TO IMPLEMENT ANY OF THE FOLLOWING 
                   EXECUTIVE ORDERS:

       (1) Executive Order 13990, relating to Protecting Public 
     Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle 
     the Climate Crisis.
       (2) Executive Order 14008, relating to Tackling the Climate 
     Crisis at Home and Abroad.
       (3) Section 6 of Executive Order 14013, relating to 
     Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and 
     Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration.
       (4) Executive Order 14030, relating to Climate-Related 
     Financial Risk.
       (5) Executive Order 14057, relating to Catalyzing Clean 
     Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability.
       (6) Executive Order 14082, relating to Implementation of 
     the Energy and Infrastructure Provisions of the Inflation 
     Reduction Act of 2022.

[[Page H4557]]

       (7) Executive Order 14096, relating to Revitalizing Our 
     Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Florida (Mrs. Cammack) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Chair, I rise in support of an amendment authored 
by Representative Roy and myself. This amendment would restrict funds 
from being used to implement President Biden's radical climate agenda.
  Since taking office, the Biden administration has spent billions of 
dollars implementing leftist climate initiatives at the expense of the 
American taxpayer.
  In May 2023, the USDA announced $11 billion in grants and loans for 
``zero emission energy,'' otherwise known as unreliable energy.
  In addition, a recent report found that Biden's USDA Secretary, Tom 
Vilsack, coordinated with Arabella Advisors, a George Soros-funded 
group, on transforming the U.S. food system.
  We simply cannot produce and process the food necessary to satisfy 
the massive demand in this country and abroad if we cannot depend on 
energy and food systems that are being hijacked into an extremist 
climate agenda.
  Furthermore, Biden's climate policies have detrimental effects on our 
economy and threaten the very livelihood of Americans in our 
agricultural sector. In many cases, these radical Biden initiatives 
actually do more harm than good to our environment.
  Our farmers already face enormous challenges, including market 
fluctuations and rising input costs. The list goes on and on.
  By squeezing out clean and economical fuel sources and demanding a 
hasty shift to so-called clean energy, green energy, as they call it, 
our farmers and ranchers are struggling with the rising cost of fuel 
that they need to keep their operations going.
  Agriculture is the backbone of our Nation, and we must ensure that 
that sector, the agricultural sector, has the resources that it needs 
to keep providing for American families.
  Our farmers and ranchers are some of the best conservationists in the 
world. Our amendment would prevent President Biden's extreme anti-
climate initiatives that would undoubtedly raise costs on our Nation's 
agricultural businesses.
  A threat to our Nation's ag producers is a threat to our national 
security. I encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense 
amendment and safeguard our farmers and ranchers from the Biden 
administration's misguided climate policies.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I claim time in opposition to the 
gentlewoman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, this amendment prohibits funds 
from being used to carry out President Biden's climate change executive 
orders, specifically:
  Executive Order No. 13990 relating to Protecting Public Health and 
the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis;
  Executive Order No. 14008, relating to Tackling the Climate Crisis at 
Home and Abroad;
  Section 6 of Executive Order No. 14013, relating to Rebuilding and 
Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of 
Climate Change on Migration;
  Executive Order No. 14030, relating to Climate-Related Financial 
Risks;
  Executive Order No. 14057, relating to Catalyzing Clean Energy 
Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability;
  Executive Order No. 14082, relating to Implementation of the Energy 
and Infrastructure Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 
and
  Executive Order No. 14096, relating to Revitalizing Our Nation's 
Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.
  Who could be against that? Oh, well.

                              {time}  0200

  The scientific consensus is clear, however, that we need to take 
significant steps to reduce carbon emissions moving forward while also 
working to mitigate the damage from climate change that we are already 
experiencing.
  Extreme weather events and changing temperatures and weather patterns 
are extremely relevant to America's farmland. The Department of 
Agriculture should be at the forefront of ensuring that our farmers 
remain productive and successful on the global market in the years to 
come.
  Tackling the climate crisis is an essential part of that work. Our 
farmers are on both the front line of dealing with the effects of 
climate change as well as taking steps to reduce carbon output and to 
promote sustainability.
  This amendment being offered on both appropriations bills brought to 
the floor this week would hamstring our government's response to 
climate change.
  This amendment is shortsighted and does nothing to help our farmers. 
In fact, it hurts our farmers.
  Madam Chair, I urge the defeat of this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Chair, I am so glad that my colleague mentioned 
carbon emissions and the need to reduce them because our farmers and 
ranchers are a carbon sink.
  Like I said, they are the best conservationists in the world, and the 
harmful policies of the Biden administration continue to make their job 
much more difficult.
  Madam Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for 
offering this amendment.
  My colleague across the aisle read verbatim from an executive order 
to analyze the effect of climate on migration. What we need is an 
executive order to examine the effect of an open border on migration 
into the United States, the effect in the large cities--New York, 
Chicago--and bankrupting this country. That is the executive order we 
need from the President, not these.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Madam Chair, we are closing in on 2 a.m., and while I 
definitely encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense 
amendment, I give thanks to the floor staff, the Clerks, the 
Parliamentarians, my colleagues on the committee staff who are here at 
2 a.m. doing the very important work of the American people.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 83 Offered by Ms. Hageman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 83 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the 
     proposed rule entitled ``Use of Electronic Identification 
     Eartags as Official Identification in Cattle and Bison'' 
     published by the Department of Agriculture in the Federal 
     Register on January 19, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 3320).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Wyoming.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Madam Chair, I rise today in favor of my amendment No. 
83 to H.R. 4368. This amendment would prevent the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service from implementing its proposed rule mandating 
electronic identification ear tags, known as EID, for cattle and bison 
transported in interstate commerce.
  Let me start by saying this: The United States has the highest 
quality and safest meat in the world. We currently have a robust, 
effective, and affordable animal identification and traceability system 
in place that works. Our high standards of disease prevention and 
detection make us the leader in world food quality.

[[Page H4558]]

  This rule is problematic for many reasons, including the fact that it 
sets a dangerous precedent by allowing a Federal agency to dictate how 
our ranchers run their operations. Our ranchers do not need the D.C. 
bureaucracy to tell them how to manage and identify their livestock. 
Yet, that is exactly what this rule allows.
  This rule will create a paperwork nightmare, forcing our producers to 
hire a slew of compliance officers just to meet the new requirements.
  The creation of this federally mandated system will require extensive 
data collection and countless reporting obligations.
  Last year, Ireland mandated EID ear tags. Today, just 1 year later, 
there are an untold number of reports that they must file with the 
government.
  Ireland is now considering killing off 1.3 million head of cattle to 
reach their ``climate targets.'' Their EID mandate will help them carry 
out this slaughter.
  This rule will increase the cost of food and food production, thereby 
hurting the consumer.
  This rule will ultimately cost our ranchers millions of dollars in 
compliance costs, forcing many of our smaller independent operations to 
sell out. It will thus result in further vertical integration of the 
food supply chain, making our independent livestock producers nothing 
but serfs to the big ranches and meatpackers.
  The primary supporters of this rule are the four big packers, two of 
which are owned by Brazil and one of which is owned by China, and the 
ear tag manufacturing companies.
  This rule raises serious privacy concerns for our independent 
ranchers. APHIS' estimated cost of this rule is indefensible, and the 
minimal amount included in the rule for implementation is entirely 
inadequate. The real cost of mandating EID ear tags is exponentially 
higher than what APHIS claims, and this is an unfunded mandate.
  In short, we simply cannot afford or allow a bunch of unelected 
bureaucrats, who have never handled livestock or made an honest living 
raising animals, to tell our ranchers how to operate.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I claim time in opposition 
to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, American agriculture 
really can be defined very simply by three words: science, technology, 
and innovation.
  We should utilize that to our advantage, obviously, going forward. It 
really has been a defining nature of American agriculture.
  Quite frankly, traceability resources are paramount when dealing with 
an animal disease outbreak. We have seen that this year with poultry. 
We had threats on swine.
  We obviously invested, as of the last farm bill, a significant amount 
of money to have a vaccine for foot and mouth. Should that ever impact 
our livestock industry here, it would be devastating.
  APHIS' proposed rule on electronic identification would reduce the 
overall quarantine times, limit the number of animals that get sick, 
and allow farmers and ranchers to resume normal operations in a timely 
manner.
  Producers recognize that animal disease traceability is an essential 
component of protecting livestock during an animal disease outbreak, 
and that is whether they are the size of herds in Wyoming or, quite 
frankly, in Kentucky or Pennsylvania, where they are much smaller.
  Animal health is incredibly important, and the ability to recognize 
animal disease traceability is, as well.
  We should not allow ourselves to be in a position where efforts to 
improve animal disease traceability are hampered, and for this reason, 
I will oppose Ms. Hageman's amendment.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Massie).
  Mr. MASSIE. Madam Chair, as a cattleman myself who interacts with and 
supports thousands of cattlemen in Kentucky, I rise in support of Ms. 
Hageman's very important amendment, which prevents funds from being 
used to mandate electronic identification ear tags for cattle and 
bison.
  The cattlemen in Kentucky know this isn't just another extra expense 
for them. It is the beginning of the end of the American rancher, of 
the American cattleman. It is the beginning of the end of 
multigenerational farms in Kentucky because this is an on-and-off 
switch that will prevent farmers from marketing their cattle if they 
are not in compliance with thousands of rules, a never-ending list of 
rules. This is why we should oppose it.
  We should quit listening. I implore my colleagues who have been 
lobbied on this issue--we have all been lobbied on this one. I implore 
my colleagues to quit listening to the lobbyists who pretend to 
represent farmers and start listening to their farmers back home and 
support Ms. Hageman's amendment.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, once again, traceability 
resources really are incredibly important when dealing with an animal 
disease outbreak.

                              {time}  0210

  We need to do our best to be prepared to deal with these. Otherwise, 
it compromises our ability to export overseas. Our trade partners could 
shut off markets in the United States, and it would have a decimating 
impact on the livestock industry in the United States.
  There are moneys in the underlying bill in order to do this. Quite 
frankly, a more appropriate amendment might have been to make sure the 
money lines up with the need. I would agree that what is in the bill is 
not adequate for the full implementation of this, but that is another 
issue.
  Madam Chair, I remain in opposition to the amendment, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HAGEMAN. Madam Chair, I reiterate that we already have an 
identification and traceability system in place that is effective, 
robust, and affordable. Some larger operations have voluntarily 
implemented EID because they have the resources and the manpower to do 
so.
  If small and medium operations are forced into this same system, 
however, and without the proper capital, they will be locked out of the 
markets.
  My colleague just admitted that the funding in the rule doesn't 
provide adequate funding to implement the rule, and so it is going to 
cost our ranchers literally millions upon millions of dollars to 
comply. It is an unfunded mandate.
  This proposed rule is based on dubious assumptions. It raises more 
questions than answers. It is a solution in search of a problem. It is 
dangerous, and it should be stopped.
  I will finish with this: My amendment does not touch the cost offset 
in the bill. It merely addresses the flawed policy advanced by USDA. It 
does not prevent any American rancher, cattle producer, or bison 
producer to use EID technology, but it does not allow the USDA to 
mandate it.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of my amendment, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Wyoming 
will be postponed.
  It is now in order to consider amendment No. 84, printed in part F of 
House Report 118-216.


            Amendment No. 85 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Stauber). It is now in order to consider 
amendment No. 85 printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:


[[Page H4559]]


  

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Director of the 
     Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the Food and Drug 
     Administration, occupied by Patrizia Cavazzoni, is hereby 
     reduced to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to reduce to $1 
the salary of the director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and 
Research within the FDA.
  As part of the Republican House majority, conservatives were able to 
secure important reforms to the House rules, including reinstating the 
Holman rule. The Holman rule dates back to the 1800s and was created to 
reduce spending, but it has also been used as a measure of 
accountability to exercise oversight over unelected bureaucrats by 
reducing the salaries of Federal employees.
  I have concerns that the position of director for the Center for Drug 
Evaluation and Research has been politicized because of decisions it 
has been involved in related to abortion.
  In January, the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy for the main 
chemical abortion drug, mifepristone, was updated. A multidisciplinary 
team within the FDA approved changes that eliminated the in-person 
distribution requirement of mifepristone and allowed for retail 
pharmacies to dispense the abortifacient.
  A Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, is required by 
the FDA for certain drugs with ``serious safety concerns to help ensure 
the benefits outweigh its risks.'' It is baffling to me that these 
bureaucrats would acknowledge that mifepristone is inherently dangerous 
yet advance policies that discourage a woman from even having to show 
up at a doctor's office.
  This office was complicit in these dangerous updates that impact 
women's health. My amendment provides needed scrutiny over the 
bureaucrats who issue documents, not laws, that literally carry the 
power of life or death.
  Whatever value these offices provide to drug safety has been clouded 
by political judgment. Congress should take a serious look at these 
offices, and we can start by holding pro-abortion officials accountable 
for such a destructive decision.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to stand for life and support this 
amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this 
amendment. It targets a career civil servant for apparently doing their 
job as the law requires. This House should hold its actions to the 
highest standards, and attacks on the civil service have no place in 
this House.
  This is a bad amendment. It sets a bad precedent. It is beyond our 
duties. It is ultra vires.
  Mr. Chair, I urge the defeat of this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Maryland (Mr. Harris).
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for 
bringing this forth.
  Mr. Chair, look, I urge everyone just to read the Fifth Circuit Court 
opinion. The fact of the matter is, the Fifth Circuit Court said the 
FDA way overstepped their congressional fencing in on how they have to 
approve drugs. The bottom line is, it is not us saying this. It is the 
Fifth Circuit.
  Maybe this is one way to send a message that you actually ought to 
listen to the way Congress set up the safety and efficacy approval 
process. Maybe we need something like this so the FDA actually pays 
attention to how Congress told them they have to operate.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, FDA administrators who originally 
approved mifepristone knew it had risks attached to it. In the 
following years, those risks have been confirmed and proven time and 
again to the mother and, obviously, ultimately to the child.
  Between 2002 and 2015, the rate of chemical abortion-related 
emergency room visits increased by more than 500 percent.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, at least seven offices within the 
FDA are responsible for administering the decision that made the 
chemical abortion drug easier to access. My amendment reduces to $1 the 
salary of the director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
  Congress has a responsibility to not just appropriate money but to 
also conduct oversight for the use of taxpayer dollars. My amendment 
does both.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to stand up for life and support my 
amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.

                              {time}  0220


                 Amendment No. 86 Offered by Mr. Massie

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 86 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the spending reduction 
     account) insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to fund any grant related to any transgenic edible 
     vaccine.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Massie) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment, which 
states, ``None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to 
fund any grant related to any transgenic edible vaccine.''
  Does the term transgenic edible vaccine sound farfetched? Well, it is 
not. We are funding it.
  In fact, scientists from the University of California, Riverside, 
funded with your taxpayer dollars, have been studying whether they can 
turn edible plants such as lettuce and spinach into mRNA vaccine 
factories, thereby creating a transgenic edible vaccine.
  One associate professor at UCR explained that ``Ideally, a single 
plant would produce enough mRNA to vaccinate a single person. We are 
testing this approach with spinach and lettuce and have long-term goals 
of people growing it in their own gardens. Farmers could also 
eventually grow entire fields of it.''
  I don't think this is a good idea.
  I don't think the American people should be funding this, and I would 
hope that we have learned something from the COVID experience with 
SARS-CoV-2 that some of our science projects aren't the best ideas.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition 
to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I do rise in opposition to this 
misguided amendment.
  The amendment would eliminate research funding into novel approaches 
to keeping livestock healthy.
  Livestock disease costs hundreds of millions of dollars per year. 
Producers

[[Page H4560]]

lose revenue and consumers pay higher prices as a result.
  An ongoing avian influenza outbreak has devastated poultry producers 
across the country, devastating that industry in many areas.
  Innovative research on methods to cost effectively protect livestock 
benefits both producers and consumers.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to defeat this misguided amendment 
and let USDA work to keep livestock healthy for producers and prices 
low for consumers.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Chair, my colleague on the other side of the aisle 
talks about keeping prices low. I think there is more to it than that 
for the American people. He also speaks as if these vaccines, these 
transgenic edible plant vaccines, are only used for livestock.
  Well, in fact, they have been used for livestock--I will get to that 
in a second--but they are also being used for people. That is the 
intended outcome of many of these programs that we are funding with 
money from the USDA.
  What could possibly go wrong with this research?
  Well, we found out a few years ago when a biotech company was 
experimenting, growing, in corn, a vaccine to keep pigs from getting 
diarrhea.
  What happened? Well, the next year where the corn was grown the prior 
year, the corn came up and it got commingled with soybeans that were 
being grown there.
  It contaminated 500 bushels of soybeans, which were then commingled 
with 500,000 bushels of soybeans. Those all had to be recalled and 
destroyed.
  Luckily, they caught it.
  Do we want humans eating vaccines that were grown in corn meant to 
stop pigs from getting diarrhea? I don't think we want that to happen. 
Yet, that almost happened, and it could happen.
  There is another case where the pollen cross-contaminated another 
crop of corn, and 155 acres of corn had to be burned. What are the 
cases where we are not discovering this?
  I think it is dangerous to play God with our food. I think we need a 
safe food supply.
  Mr. Chair, this is about food safety. Ultimately, the people in this 
country need to know what is in their food, and if we start 
contaminating the DNA of our food with DNA from other animals or 
viruses, the pollen could spread, and we don't know what could happen.
  I would hope we have learned a lesson from the Wuhan lab that 
sometimes things escape, sometimes things don't go as you plan. That is 
why I think it is a bad idea to fund transgenic edible plant vaccine 
research from the USDA.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 87 Offered by Mr. Massie

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 87 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to issue any new rule under section 23(a) of the 
     Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 623(a)), section 
     15(c)(1)(B) of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 
     464(c)(1)(B)), to implement or enforce sections 303.1(a)(2) 
     and 381.10(a)(4) of title 9, Code of Federal Regulations (or 
     regulations of the same substance), or sections 303.1(b)(1) 
     or 320 of such title 9--
       (1) regarding the number of owners of an animal for 
     purposes of the custom slaughter exemption of the Food Safety 
     and Inspection Service;
       (2) limiting the persons that may own an animal; or
       (3) requiring custom operators to keep records.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Massie) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment, which 
states in part that, ``None of the funds made available by this Act may 
be used to issue any new rule related to (1) regarding the number of 
owners of an animal for purposes of the custom slaughter exemption of 
the Food Safety and Inspection Service; (2) limiting the persons that 
may own an animal; or (3) requiring custom operators to keep records.''
  My amendment simply states that no funds in this bill can be used to 
create new rules and regulations related to the custom slaughter 
exemption, limiting the number of people who may own an animal, or 
placing additional recordkeeping burdens on custom slaughter exemption.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition 
to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I appreciate and share the 
gentleman's support for our meat and poultry producers. However, this 
is an amendment to permanent law that, with very rare exceptions, 
should not be in an appropriations bill. This issue should be 
considered in the context of the next farm bill.
  Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Chairman, I respectfully disagree with my colleague's 
characterization of this amendment that it changes permanent law. In 
fact, all it does is limits the spending that can be used to promulgate 
any new rules. Its only period is for the extent of a year. The next 
year, the next fiscal year.
  In fact, were it changing permanent law, we would not have allowed it 
as an amendment to this bill.
  Mr. Chair, I serve on the Rules Committee, and we vet hundreds of 
amendments for this very constraint. This is not one of the amendments 
that changes permanent law.
  If I could change permanent law, would I change permanent law? You 
are sure right that I would, and we will try that in the farm bill, but 
we can't change permanent law on an appropriations bill.
  The reason I have introduced this amendment is I have found on the 
USDA website, they haven't done the rule yet, but they are thinking 
about doing a rule to limit how many families could share an animal.
  Listen, there are four meat-packers that control over 80 percent of 
the meat that is processed in the United States. Our President himself 
said it from that very podium during a state of the Union speech. It is 
a problem. We all know it.
  There is one exemption that allows people to get out from under the 
thumb of the multinational corporations that process most of the meat 
in this country, and that is the custom slaughter exemption that allows 
somebody who owns an animal to have it processed for themselves.
  It seems somewhat ridiculous that the USDA thinks they have the power 
to say two families can't share that animal. Yet, that is what they are 
proposing in a PowerPoint slide on their website.
  My amendment is simple. It says we are not going to allow the USDA to 
promulgate a rule that keeps families from getting healthy meat from 
their local farmer.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 88, 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.


                Amendment No. 89 Offered by Mrs. Boebert

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 89 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used for courses, books, or study guides relating to--
       (1) approaching LGBT issues in the workplace;

[[Page H4561]]

       (2) succeeding as an LGBT professional ;
       (3) understanding and supporting LGBTQ+ employees;
       (4) connecting with LGBTQ+ customers year round;
       (5) becoming an ally to all;
       (6) inclusive mindset for committed allies external link;
       (7) mindfulness, diversity, and the quest for inclusion;
       (8) driving inclusion with empathy;
       (9) communicating about culturally sensitive issues;
       (10) skills for inclusive conversations;
       (11) strategies to foster inclusive language at work;
       (12) pride leadership: strategies for LGBTQ+ leaders to be 
     the king or queen of their jungle;
       (13) building effective corporate engagement on LGBTQ 
     rights;
       (14) how the LGBT+ community and their allies are changing 
     the global economy;
       (15) conversations with LGBTQ+ leaders on the power of 
     identity;
       (16) gender ambiguity in the workplace: transgender and 
     gender-diverse discrimination; and
       (17) transgender employees: creating an inclusive work 
     community.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentlewoman 
from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Colorado.

                              {time}  0230

  Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer my amendment that 
prevents USDA from using funds for woke extreme leftist courses, books, 
and study guides as part of this administration's woke LGBTQI+--
whatever other letter you would like to add for the flavor of the day--
Pride Month agenda.
  Biden's woke bureaucrats implemented woke courses, books, and study 
guides for Department employees' training that defy congressional 
intent and mandate leftist indoctrination.
  Mandated Department courses and curriculum for the Federal employees 
included topics like Pride Leadership: Strategies for LGBTQ+ Leader to 
be the King Or Queen of Their Jungle; the Queer Advantage: 
Conversations with LGBTQ+ Leaders on the Power of Identity; Out and 
Proud: Approaching LGBT Issues in the Workplace; Gender Ambiguity in 
the Workplace: Transgender and Gender-Diverse Discrimination; Lesbian, 
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Program.
  In total, there were more than 20 different LGBTQI+--add your 
letter--training sessions and courses required by USDA that cower to 
the left's woke indoctrination policies, defy congressional intent, and 
contradict the agency's mission.
  Federal employees devoted to public service shouldn't be forced to 
participate in extreme training sessions that contradict their own 
values.
  I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and prevent Federal 
employees from being forced to participate in extreme training sessions 
for the purpose of pandering to a woke agenda.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Who in the world knows what ``woke'' means? I 
think all of us should be awake to the dangers of overreach in this 
appropriations bill.
  This amendment would prohibit funds for courses, books, or study 
guides on 17 topics related to inclusion, diversity, and supporting 
LGBT employees.
  These topics include issues such as empathy, fostering an inclusive 
workplace, or becoming an ally to all.
  I do not believe we should be spending our time here on the floor 
today debating ways that we can cut back on teaching empathy. Instead, 
what I think would serve our constituents the most would be a 
discussion on how we can better help American farmers remain 
competitive globally, help put food on the tables of those in need, 
and, yes, help foster an inclusive and welcoming workplace for all at 
the Department of Agriculture.
  Mr. Chair, I urge opposition to this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Chair, maybe the USDA should spend their time 
educating those on how to tell the difference between a heifer and a 
bull. Maybe then we can actually bring some common sense to this topic.
  Also, I would like to note that my colleague on the other side of the 
aisle, the gentleman, failed to mention some letters when referencing 
the LGBTQI+ community, which is not very inclusive for their party's 
agenda. I just wanted the record to reflect that there definitely were 
some letters missing from that description, which is extremely 
offensive.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Colorado 
will be postponed.


                  Amendment No. 90 Offered by Mr. Good

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 90 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Director of the 
     Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology of the Food and Drug 
     Administration, occupied by Gerald Dal Pan, is hereby reduced 
     to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 90, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my 
amendment to reduce to $1 the salary of the director of the Office of 
Surveillance and Epidemiology within the FDA.
  As part of the Republican House majority, conservatives were able to 
secure important reforms to the House rules, including reinstating the 
Holman rule, which dates back to the 1800s and was created to reduce 
spending, but it has also been used as a measure of accountability to 
exercise oversight over unelected bureaucrats by reducing salaries of 
Federal employees.
  I invite my colleagues to consider this amendment as a form of 
oversight, transparency, and accountability--what value does this 
office provide, and is the person who occupies it using their position 
for political purposes?
  Earlier this year, the FDA updated the risk evaluation and mitigation 
strategy for the main chemical abortion drug, mifepristone. This 
document changed the policy surrounding the distribution of the drug, 
making it easier to access, and, therefore, more dangerous for women.
  Many peer-reviewed studies show that women who take chemical abortion 
pills are at risk of severe side effects, including hemorrhaging, the 
need for follow-up surgery, and even death. Yet, this FDA guidance 
would formally eliminate the in-person distribution requirement.
  My amendment provides scrutiny over the bureaucrats who issue 
documents--not laws--that literally carry the power of life or death. 
Whatever values these offices provide to drug safety has been clouded 
by political judgment, and Congress should take a serious look at those 
offices, and we can start by holding pro-abortion officials accountable 
for such a destructive decision.
  I urge my colleagues to stand for life in support of this amendment, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).

[[Page H4562]]

  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.


                  Amendment No. 91 Offered by Mr. Good

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 91 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Director of the 
     Division of Risk Management of the Food and Drug 
     Administration, occupied by Cynthia LaCivita, is hereby 
     reduced to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. I rise today in support of my amendment to reduce to $1 the 
salary of the director of the Office of Risk Management within the FDA.
  This amendment asks the question: Is this person who oversees the 
Office of the Director of Risk Management actually protecting women and 
children from risk?
  The office is one of at least seven within the FDA that helped 
develop a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, for the 
chemical abortion drug mifepristone. These REMS documents are required 
by the FDA for certain drugs with serious safety concerns to help 
ensure the benefits outweigh its risks.
  It is baffling to me that these bureaucrats would acknowledge that 
mifepristone is inherently dangerous, yet advance policies that 
discourage a woman from even having to show up at a doctor's office.
  Earlier this year, the FDA updated the risk evaluation mitigation 
strategy for the main chemical abortion drug mifepristone, and this 
document changed the policy surrounding the distribution of the drug.

                              {time}  0240

  Chemical abortion has four times the complication rate of surgical 
abortion. These risks would only increase with advanced pregnancy and 
lack of medical supervision.
  Of course, mifepristone REMS doesn't factor into the risk evaluation 
process, and the drug ends the life of the precious, innocent child in 
the womb.
  Mifepristone deprives the developing child of the hormones that he or 
she needs to grow and then is paired with another drug to violently 
expel the child from the womb.
  My amendment provides needed scrutiny over bureaucrats who issue 
documents that literally carry the power of life or death.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to stand for life and support this 
amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.


            Amendment No. 92 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 92 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Director of the 
     Office of New Drugs of the Food and Drug Administration, 
     occupied by Peter P. Stein, is hereby reduced to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to reduce to $1 
the salary of the director of the Office of New Drugs within the FDA.
  This amendment provides accountability on behalf of the 63 million 
children lost to abortion since 1972. If our Federal agencies are not 
protecting the most vulnerable among us, we should not give them more 
of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars.
  This year, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine brought a lawsuit 
against the FDA with evidence that the original approval process for 
mifepristone was incomplete. This case argues that the FDA wrongfully 
fast-tracked approval and neglected the pediatric study requirement. 
The case is still ongoing, but the details show a pattern of the FDA 
systematically removing any meaningful safeguard from the drug to make 
it as widely used as possible.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to stand for life and support this 
amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.


            Amendment No. 93 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 93 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Director of the 
     Office of Compliance of the Food and Drug Administration, 
     occupied by Jill Furman, is hereby reduced to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to reduce to $1 
the salary of the director of the Office of Compliance within the FDA.
  Americans don't want their taxpayer money funding bureaucrats who 
make decisions contrary to their values. In this case, this director 
was complicit in harming women and their unborn children by loosening 
restrictions on

[[Page H4563]]

mifepristone, the chemical abortion drug.
  The FDA has even looked the other way to permit chemical abortion 
drugs to be distributed via mail, which clearly violates the Federal 
law outlined in the Comstock Act.
  Americans expect Federal regulators to value women's safety and 
children's lives more than profits for the abortion industry.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to stand for life and support this 
amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.


            Amendment No. 94 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 94 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Director of the 
     Office of Medical Policy of the Food and Drug Administration, 
     occupied by M. Khair ElZarrad, is hereby reduced to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to reduce to $1 
the salary of the director of the Office of Medical Policy within the 
FDA.
  In 2020, chemical abortions became the number one abortion method for 
ending an unborn child's life. In that year, we lost 492,210 children.
  Instead of making it easier for women to get access to the abortion 
pill, the FDA should be banning it. We should work to make every 
pregnancy a happy one and support the fantastic pregnancy resource 
centers, churches, and families that help women in difficult situations 
choose life for their children.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.


            Amendment No. 95 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 95 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The amount of appropriations provided by this Act 
     for the annual salary of the position of the Director of the 
     Office of Regulatory Policy of the Food and Drug 
     Administration, occupied by Elizabeth Jungman, is hereby 
     reduced to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to reduce to $1 
the salary of the director of the Office of Regulatory Policy within 
the FDA.
  Mr. Chair, between 2007 and 2019, total FDA employment increased 79 
percent. Today, there are over 18,000 employees. The FDA actually makes 
it very difficult to discern the exact number among the thousands of 
employees who were responsible for the updates to the abortion pill 
Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy.
  We can glean from FDA documents that multidisciplinary teams, 
including at least these seven offices I have mentioned across my 
debate time, played a role in approving the changes that eliminated the 
in-person distribution requirement of mifepristone and allowed for 
retail pharmacies to dispense the abortifacient.
  The names of specific individuals responsible are shrouded in 
mystery. The names are redacted from public documents related to this 
massive policy change, but we can reasonably conclude that the 
directors were indirectly or directly responsible.
  Whatever value these offices provide to drug safety has been clouded 
by these political judgments, and Congress should take a serious look 
at these offices. We can start by holding these pro-abortion officials 
accountable for such a destructive decision.
  Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.

                              {time}  0250

  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Rosendale). The Chair understands that 
amendment Nos. 96 through 98 will not be offered.


                Amendment No. 99 Offered by Mr. Stauber

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 99 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used for the Farm to School Network Racial Equity Learning 
     Lab.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment. I believe 
in promoting equal opportunities for all, irrespective of race, color, 
or creed.

[[Page H4564]]

  However, the National Farm to School Network's Racial Equity Learning 
Lab takes an approach that contradicts the core values of our Nation.
  The Farm To School movement was started to help give schools and 
students access to locally produced farm fresh foods and provide a new 
market for our local farmers.
  It is unfortunate that the National Farm to School Network has 
decided to force radical ideology into these programs.
  The proposed Racial Equity Learning Lab's stated goal is to teach 
participants to apply a ``racial equity lens'' to their work within the 
farm to school program.
  It seeks to inject critical race theory and identity politics into 
our educational institutions, perpetuating an agenda that emphasizes 
differences rather than uniting us as Americans. This follows a 
dangerous and growing trend in America to view everything through the 
lens of race.
  While the National Farm to School Network itself has laudable goals 
of encouraging healthier eating habits among students and supporting 
local agriculture, it should do so without embracing divisive 
ideologies.
  We should be fostering an environment where children from all 
backgrounds come together to learn and grow, understand the value of 
hard work, personal responsibility, and the importance of community.
  Mr. Chair, my amendment will ensure that no taxpayer money is used to 
further steer the National Farm to School Network in the wrong 
direction.
  I ask that my colleagues join me in keeping critical race theory out 
of our food systems and out of our schools. I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment. The National Farm to School Network supports the work of 
farmers, teachers, and community leaders.
  The Racial Equity Learning Lab is a learning program regarding racial 
inequities in our food system. USDA's support from the program seeks to 
address racial equity in our farm to school system.
  I would think that making sure that all schoolchildren have access to 
adequate meals would be an easy, bipartisan priority. I am disappointed 
by this amendment. I urge all Members to oppose it. I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Chair, I rise again in support of my amendment and 
ask my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Minnesota 
will be postponed.


           Amendment No. 100 Offered by Mr. Good of Virginia

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 100 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. I have an amendment at the desk, Mr. Chairman.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the spending reduction 
     account) insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act may 
     be used to implement any of the following executive orders:
       (1) Executive Order 14075, relating to Advancing Equality 
     for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex 
     Individuals.
       (2) Executive Order 14021, relating to Guaranteeing an 
     Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis 
     of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.
       (3) Executive Order 13988, relating to Preventing and 
     Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or 
     Sexual Orientation.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Good) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  My amendment will defund three radical executive orders issued by 
President Biden. These executive orders are intended to combat so-
called discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual 
orientation.
  The weaponized bureaucratic regime wants to promote everything 
regular Americans stand for: freedom of speech, marriage as being 
between one man and one woman for life, and other values that so many 
people outside of Washington hold dear.
  The Biden administration wants to instill fear in the hearts of 
regular Americans. My amendment would block any taxpayer dollars that 
would be used for the implementation of these woke executive orders in 
any agency. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise to claim the time in 
opposition to this amendment.
  I oppose this amendment. Members of the LGBT community have 
historically faced higher rates of food insecurity.
  USDA has taken steps to clarify that discrimination on the basis of 
sexual orientation and gender identity are prohibited in programs 
administered by USDA such as SNAP.
  It is concerning to me that the Democratic amendment striking harmful 
policy riders was not put forward by the Rules Committee for the 
debate, while a large number of Republican amendments adding further 
policy riders were allowed to be considered.
  These amendments have no chance of becoming law and only move us 
further from bipartisan conference agreement which can pass both 
chambers of Congress.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 
which, by the way, saw significant Democrat opposition, clearly 
outlines who is protected from discrimination.
  Now, the left wants to impose extra requirements on businessowners 
and the American people and force them into either having to walk on 
eggshells or face being sued for a supposed incorrect statement.
  This amendment will defund President Biden's directives to promulgate 
woke ideology throughout the entire government instead of serving the 
American people. This culture of fear is not what made America the 
Nation that it is.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I urge strong support for my 
amendment for the values that have made America the country we love 
today.
  Democrats are opposed to the very idea of America so much that they 
oppose the values that Americans know and love.
  My amendment will preserve that America and fight back against the 
left's woke agenda. I urge my colleagues to support this effort and 
vote in favor of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
  The amendment was agreed to.


          amendment no. 101 offered by mrs. miller of illinois

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 101 
printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. ___.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement or enforce the Executive Order 14008 of 
     January 27, 2021, titled ``Tackling the Climate Crisis at 
     Home and Abroad'' (86 Fed. Reg. 7619).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 101, the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Mrs. Miller) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.

[[Page H4565]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois.

                              {time}  0300

  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Chair, the American people do not want 
their tax dollars going to the creation of the Obama communist climate 
corps, which is a leftwing indoctrination program for young people that 
advances Communist China's attack on American energy and promotes 
China's solar panels, lithium batteries, and windmills.
  Congress must prohibit funding for this green bad deal army and 
reverse the America last agenda. Barack Obama's communist revolution to 
fundamentally transform America kills our domestic energy production.
  Obama flies on private jets and has beachfront mansions. He doesn't 
care about climate, and he doesn't think the oceans are rising. 
Taxpayers do not want to fund the foot soldiers of Obama's communist 
revolution.
  Mr. Chair, I urge the adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, this amendment would prohibit USDA 
from implementing an executive order on tackling the climate crisis.
  This year, our country has experienced more billion-dollar climate 
disasters than ever before in our history. In only the first 8 months 
of the year, 23 weather disasters devastated regions across the 
country, and in every case, the agricultural sector was harmed.
  This summer, we witnessed catastrophic floods in the Northeast 
decimate farmers' crops. Extreme drought in the West continues to 
impact ranchers' ability to sustain their livestock. Tragically, we 
watched helplessly as the Maui wildfires ravaged thousands of acres of 
farmland and took nearly 100 human lives.
  This amendment would block Federal efforts to help farmers develop 
climate-smart agricultural and forestry practices that are critical to 
combating the climate crisis. If we are to address the climate crisis, 
help farmers, and strengthen our economy, we cannot be hamstrung by 
funding limitations that deny that climate change is real.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Illinois 
will be postponed.


               Amendment No. 102 Offered by Mr. Rosendale

  The Acting CHAIR (Mrs. Miller of Illinois). It is now in order to 
consider amendment No. 102 printed in part F of House Report 118-216.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The total amount of appropriations made available 
     by this Act is hereby reduced by $717,000,000.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 723, the gentleman 
from Montana (Mr. Rosendale) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Montana.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Madam Chair, I rise to support my amendment.
  My amendment No. 102 would reduce the Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 
by $717 million in order to get the total spending of all bills back to 
the fiscal 2022 levels.
  In fiscal year 2022, the Agriculture-FDA appropriations were about 
$24 billion. I believe that the agencies and programs included in this 
bill were able to operate effectively enough at those levels.
  In order to get spending under control, Federal agencies must begin 
operating at the same levels or, at the very least, receive only modest 
increases, which this would include.
  On April 26, 2023, House Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act 
to reduce spending and take the first step forward to financial 
stability and recovery for our country. However, Speaker McCarthy 
deserted this plan and instead turned to the Democrats to pass a debt 
ceiling bill eliminating the work done and passed under the Limit, 
Save, Grow Act.
  The American people are sick and tired of the D.C. cartel. It is 
running up our tab for the American people while our constituents are 
struggling to make ends meet.
  From 1981 until 2008, Congress added $10 trillion to the national 
debt. In the past 4 years, we have added as much as they did during 
that 27-year period.
  This is not sustainable, and we need to find an off-ramp. Limiting 
spending will help our farmers in the long run as they are currently 
struggling with high input costs as a result of Joe Biden's reckless 
spending, which has led to historically high inflation rates.
  We can no longer continue to fund the Democrats' and the Biden 
administration's radical agenda. It is an insult to the American people 
to continue the exorbitant spending spree that has been spread by the 
previous Speaker of the House.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I claim time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The amendment would attempt to cut overall funding of the bill by an 
additional $717 million. Not only that but it would do so without 
specifying where the cuts would come from. This would effectively turn 
the decision from where the cuts would come from over to the executive 
branch, to the administration that the other side is so critical of, 
robbing Congress of its constitutionally mandated power of the purse, a 
violation of the separation of powers.
  This is something that we should not include in any appropriations 
bill. The bill already guts funding for USDA, and any further cuts 
would just make a bad bill worse.
  We should kill this amendment. We should enact a reasonable, 
responsible appropriations bill so that we can take care of the needs 
of the American people and make sure that the Department of Agriculture 
is adequately funded to serve the needs of the American people.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Madam Chair, there is a proposed $1.3 billion increase 
in this appropriation. With this reduction, there would still be a $600 
million increase in the appropriation. That is a reasonable increase 
based upon the inflation rates that have been caused by all the 
reckless spending by the Biden administration.
  The farmers across the State of Montana understand that everyone has 
to conserve. A $600 million increase in the appropriation for the 
agriculture bill is certainly doing their part. That is a tremendous 
increase, and they are willing to take that $700 million reduction.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rosendale).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Montana will 
be postponed.
  Mr. HARRIS. Madam Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Rosendale) having assumed the chair, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Acting 
Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, 
reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill 
(H.R. 4368) making

[[Page H4566]]

appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, had come to no 
resolution thereon.

                          ____________________