[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
                RELATED AGENCY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2027

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 2026

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the Fiscal Year 2027 
Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies bill. Last 
year, Republicans forced through their now incredibly unpopular Big 
Beautiful Bill, which cut a historic number of Americans from food 
assistance benefits. This Agriculture appropriations bill is no 
different, continuing these same dangerous cuts that benefit the 
wealthy and well connected.
  Mr. Speaker, you may be wondering what my stake in agriculture is. 
Though Minnesota produces vast amounts of commodities like wheat, corn, 
soybeans, and sugar beets, just to name a few, my district is home to 
only a couple of great apple orchards and some small community farms. 
However, right down the street from my district office is the 
University of Minnesota Saint Paul campus, which is home to several 
vital agriculture programs. Programs like the Cereal Disease Lab, run 
by the Agricultural Research Service and housed on the university 
campus, conduct vital research into rare wheat diseases. The University 
of Minnesota's Veterinary program is also in Saint Paul, training the 
future workforce that will provide care for animals across our state. I 
am proud that these vital programs continue to be supported by this 
bill.
  However, the cuts made to assistance programs like WIC, and the lack 
of solutions to the SNAP cuts, are deeply worrisome. Minnesota 
administers SNAP at the county level, and I know that many of my 
colleagues--on both sides of the aisle--represent states that do the 
same. This bill does nothing to solve the immense administrative and 
program cost shifts enacted by the Big Beautiful Bill. Furthermore, 
this bill continues devastating cuts to WIC. The proposed funding level 
means that there will be women and children who are eligible for 
assistance but will not receive it. I have heard from my constituents 
about how much they depend on these funding streams, especially at a 
time when costs are rising across the board. Continuing to cut these 
programs will harm my constituents.
  Rural Minnesotans will also be harmed by the cuts in this bill. The 
ReConnect Broadband program, which helps connect rural Minnesotans 
across the state to reliable broadband service, is slashed by 20 
percent. This bill also cuts important water and waste grants--the 
backbone of rural conservation efforts--that help rural communities 
access clean drinking water. Furthermore, the eight percent cut to the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service will limit farmers' ability to 
implement best conservation practices.
  If this bill as written were to be enacted into law, Minnesotans from 
my district to our most rural communities will see their costs rise. I 
hope that we can work together to improve this bill for the American 
people and reverse the devastating cuts proposed.

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