Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2997, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2997, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010 -- (House of Representatives - July 08, 2009)
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and appreciate him yielding me this time.
I want to say thank you to the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Kingston, for his collaboration and input over the last few months. Our staffs have worked together effectively, and together we have crafted what I believe to be a very strong bipartisan bill.
In addition, I think this Agriculture-FDA Appropriations bill is a smarter, better piece of legislation thanks to the hard work of both the subcommittee and the full committee. We have looked at many, many different amendments that have come up over the course of the process of writing the bill, and together we have honed it into some very effective and worthy legislation.
We have had an open process throughout the subcommittee and committee markups. I believe this rule sets in motion what has been a fair process. I understand that close to 100 amendments were submitted to the committee. Clearly, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have had an opportunity to speak their minds on these issues and have their amendments considered and made in order.
As it has in recent years, the bill focuses on several key areas, such as: protecting public health; bolstering food nutrition; investing in rural communities; supporting agricultural research; strengthening animal health and marketing programs; and conserving our natural resources.
The bill provides for $22.9 billion in funding, an 11 percent increase over the 2009 levels, the vast majority of which went toward three program areas: the WIC program, FDA, and International Food Aid. Additionally, in order to make these important investments and use the resources available to it wisely, the bill proposes a number of cuts totaling more than $735 million.
We protect the public health by providing a substantial increase for the Food and Drug Administration, almost $373 million, 15 percent above 2009, in an effort to hire additional inspectors and conduct more food and medical products inspection.
In addition, the bill provides over $1 billion for the Food, Safety and Inspection Service at the USDA.
Conservation. We know that conserving our natural resources, cleaner water, reduced soil erosion and more wildlife habitat is critical. The bill makes a significant investment in USDA's natural resource conservation programs by appropriating $980 million.
The bill rejects the administration's cuts to the Natural Resources Conservation Service's farm bill conservation programs, including the Wetlands Reserve Program, the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, and the Wildlife Incentives Program.
In addition, the bill restores funding for other valuable programs, including the Resource Conservation and Development Program, and the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program as well.
With regard to nutrition, to help those who are hit hardest by the economic crisis, the bill provides $681 million, a 10 percent increase for WIC, to serve our Nation's vulnerable populations and to support participation of 10.1 million people. The bill also includes record funding of $180 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, or CSFP, and expands assistance to six new States: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Delaware, Utah, New Jersey, and Georgia.
International Food Aid. The bill expands America's traditional commitment to International Food Aid by providing an increase of $464 million, a 27 percent increase, to P.L. 480, the United States' primary International Food Aid program. We also provided an
additional $99.5 million to the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, doubling that number from 2009.
In terms of rural development, the bill creates opportunities for growth and development of the Nation's small town economies. It increases funding for water and wastewater infrastructure by $73 million. There is $8.7 billion for housing, $541 million for community facilities, and $9.3 billion for the rural utility programs.
Increased funding for agriculture. There are significant investments in agriculture research: $1.2 billion for the Agricultural Research Service and $1.2 billion for the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. That funding increases the opportunity for key programs such as the Hatch Act, Evans-Allen, the new competitive Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Smith Lever, the 1890 programs, and the Veterinary Medical Services Act.
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Ms. DeLAURO. With the continued volatility in the futures markets, the bill provides the administration's request for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, $160.6 million, $14.6 million over 2009.
Finally, the bill includes language which has been carried since fiscal year 2008 which prohibits the use of funds in the bill to establish or implement a rule allowing the importation of processed poultry products from China. When USDA determined that the Chinese food system was ``equivalent'' to ours, it used a flawed process in making that determination and placed trade considerations above public health. Recognizing that, as well as the many problems that have been identified with the Chinese food safety system, it is important that the language remain in the bill.
In closing, I thank the Rules Committee for considering this important bill. I am proud of the work we have done. I urge my colleagues to support this rule.
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