[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13065]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       AMERICA NEEDS A FARM BILL

  (Mr. WELCH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELCH. Madam Speaker, America needs a farm bill. America needs a 
farm bill. Our ranchers, our agricultural conservation districts, our 
dairy farmers, our commodity farmers need and deserve a farm bill. It 
was passed by the Senate. It was passed by the House Agriculture 
Committee in a strong bipartisan vote. But for the first time, 
literally the first time in the history of this country, a farm bill 
passed by the Agriculture Committee is not being allowed to come to the 
floor. There's no excuse for that.
  Is it a hard job? Yes. But is that an excuse for Congress to duck its 
responsibility? No. Are there contentious issues? Yes.
  Some on the other side want to cut commodity programs. Give them a 
shot. Let them bring an amendment. My colleague, Rosa DeLauro, thinks 
we ought to restore all funding for nutrition. I agree. Give her a 
shot.
  Congress must do its job. It must bring a farm bill to the floor for 
a vote so that each and every one of us is held to account to our 
constituents.

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