[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2403-2404]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        AGRICULTURAL ACT OF 2014

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last week, the House of 
Representatives passed the Agricultural Act of 2014, a 5-year farm bill 
reauthorization, with bipartisan support by a vote of 251-166. This 
farm bill is a big win for the Nation's economy and will support jobs 
across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, while making necessary reforms 
that will save taxpayers billions.
  Mr. Speaker, not only does this bill deliver for taxpayers, it is 
good public policy. We spent over 4 years crafting the measure through 
dozens of hearings, audits, and other forums for public and stakeholder 
input.
  The bill was produced by the House-Senate conference committee, upon 
which I served, that was charged with resolving the differences between 
the House- and Senate-passed farm bills. Throughout this process, 
members of the Agriculture Committee have proved that positive movement 
on important pieces of legislation can be achieved.
  This bill repeals direct payments and limits producers to risk 
management tools that offer protection when they suffer significant 
losses. Under the measure, limits on payment are reduced, eligibility 
rules are tightened, and means tests are streamlined to make farm 
programs more accountable.
  The measure provides historic reforms to dairy policy by repealing 
outdated and ineffective dairy programs. It supports small businesses 
and beginning farmers and ranchers with training and access to capital.
  The agreement reauthorizes numerous research, extension, and 
education programs, including programs for land grant universities, the 
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Agricultural 
Research Service.
  This farm bill makes the first reforms to the food stamp program 
since the welfare reforms of 1996, while maintaining critical food 
assistance to families in need. It closes the heat and eat loophole 
that artificially increases benefit levels when States provide nominal 
LIHEAP assistance.
  The bill also includes the Forest Products Fairness Act, a bill I 
introduced, which would open new market opportunities for timber and 
forest products by allowing them to qualify for the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's BioPreferred program. It contains language codifying the 
Forest Service's authority to categorically exclude noncontroversial 
day-to-day activities from the National Environmental Policy Act, or 
NEPA, assessments. It provides certainty to the forest products 
industry by clarifying that forest roads and related silvicultural 
activities will not be treated as a point source of pollution under the 
Clean Water Act and will no longer be subject to frivolous lawsuits.
  It improves the farm bill conservation title through the 
consolidation of 23 duplicative programs into 13. Overall, the package 
reduces deficits by $16.6 billion over 10 years.
  Mr. Speaker, for family farms and agribusinesses in my home State 
that drive the economy with more than $68 billion in total economic 
activity annually, this bill is a big win. For individuals and families 
in my home State that are looking for that next job or a little more 
take-home pay, this bill is a big win. For the families and individuals 
that rely on safe and affordable food every day, this bill is a big 
win.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the Senate to quickly pass this bill and get it 
to the President's desk for his signature. Americans deserve as much.

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