Hoyer Statement on Committee Passage of Republicans' Partisan Farm Bill
For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2018
Contact Info:
Annaliese Davis 202-225-4131
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the Republicans on the House Committee on Agriculture passed their partisan farm bill out of committee on a party-line vote:
“I am disappointed that Chairman Conaway has chosen to mark up a partisan Farm Bill that includes severe cuts to nutrition assistance for Americans in need. Moreover, this bill fails to invest in rural development and bioenergy programs, and it undermines conservation efforts. American farmers – particularly those living and working on smaller family farms – are already living under the uncertainty caused by low commodity prices and the potential impact of President Trump’s reckless trade policies. They don’t need the added anxiety of House Republicans injecting partisan politics into the Farm Bill.
“Democrats are ready to work with Republicans to write a Farm Bill that meets Congress’s commitment both to growers and to those who consume what they produce. Our nutrition assistance programs help keep 40 million Americans from going hungry, and they remain a critical tool in our war on poverty. I urge Republicans to take steps back toward bipartisanship and work with Democrats to negotiate a compromise Farm Bill that does not weaken our ability to fight hunger or support farmers.”
“I am disappointed that Chairman Conaway has chosen to mark up a partisan Farm Bill that includes severe cuts to nutrition assistance for Americans in need. Moreover, this bill fails to invest in rural development and bioenergy programs, and it undermines conservation efforts. American farmers – particularly those living and working on smaller family farms – are already living under the uncertainty caused by low commodity prices and the potential impact of President Trump’s reckless trade policies. They don’t need the added anxiety of House Republicans injecting partisan politics into the Farm Bill.
“Democrats are ready to work with Republicans to write a Farm Bill that meets Congress’s commitment both to growers and to those who consume what they produce. Our nutrition assistance programs help keep 40 million Americans from going hungry, and they remain a critical tool in our war on poverty. I urge Republicans to take steps back toward bipartisanship and work with Democrats to negotiate a compromise Farm Bill that does not weaken our ability to fight hunger or support farmers.”