[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 993-994]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PASSAGE OF THE FARM BILL

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, without reforms, by the 
year 2020, the interest alone paid on our national debt by American 
taxpayers will cost $1 trillion per year--money that could otherwise be 
used to educate our kids or put aside for those most in need. Most 
would agree that borrowing on the backs of our children

[[Page 994]]

to pay for promises our government cannot keep must end, and that only 
together, through the collaboration of both parties, can we assure 
America begins to live within its means.
  During the last Congress there was one area where both parties came 
together. It was an effort that made improvements in programs resulting 
in better use of each tax dollar. It was an effort that also achieved 
deficit reduction. This effort was the farm bill.
  Many of us are eager to hear the President's plan to help the Nation 
achieve fiscal balance during next week's State of the Union. I 
encourage the President to elevate passage of a new farm bill to the 
forefront of the speech. It's good policy. It's one area where we can 
come together and start the path of fiscal balance. I encourage my 
leaders in the House to welcome this call.

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