Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, last week in the Nation's Capital, 6.8 inches of snow closed Federal office buildings. Nearly 1,300 miles away in Kansas, blizzards brought more than 18 inches of snowfall to parts of the Big First District. Farmers, ranchers, and ag producers in the Big First didn't have the luxury of closing down for the week. When you answer the call to feed, fuel, and clothe the world, you are required to show up, even when the temperatures are far below freezing.

My congressional district is one of the top agricultural producing districts in the country. It is home to more than 60,000 farms along with farmers, ranchers, feedlot managers, dairies, nutritionists, veterinarians, ethanol producers, ag lenders, and agribusiness owners who bring the agricultural ecosystem to life.

When the snow piles and the temperatures refuse to rise past freezing, these men and women don't get a break. They throw on their warm layers, and they get the job done. Those of us in agriculture understand full well that Mother Nature is not a reliable business partner.

At the end of October, much of my district was still navigating dry to severe drought conditions. On top of navigating an already challenging farm year, these droughts severely squeezed margins for farmers and ranchers.

Approximately 2 months later, Mother Nature changed course once again with more than a foot of snow. In true Kansas fashion, families and neighbors came together to help one another in time of need. Kansans helped move snow to ensure livestock could still be watered and fed. Kansans helped move calves to make sure that they were warm after they were born, so they could get to a place to be properly fed and nourished in negative temperatures.

Kansans stayed up through the night to make sure livestock had a chance of surviving or to guarantee that their equipment was ready to go by sunrise the next morning.

Why on Earth would anyone do this, Madam Speaker?

It is a special calling that many families in my district have answered. In a world where Instacart and Amazon Fresh can deliver groceries to your door in nearly an hour if you are in an urban area, it can be easy to forget that our food doesn't just come from the grocery store shelf. It comes from the men and women who work tirelessly day in and day out to answer the call to feed, clothe, and fuel the world.

On days with lots of extreme weather like we saw last week, these men and women bust their backs to ensure that we can still have food on our plates when the storms are long gone. It can often be a thankless job.

On behalf of Kansas and the Nation, I thank these brave men and women for keeping us fueled, clothed, and fed. Their tireless efforts do not go unnoticed. We are deeply grateful for their efforts to feed a hungry world.

Recognizing Sarah Henry

Madam Speaker, agriculture is the heart of the First District of Kansas. It is our lifeblood.

When I built my team in the District, it was important for me to find someone who knew agriculture and would fight for the farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers of Kansas. Sarah Henry was the perfect choice.

As a graduate with a degree in agricultural education from Iowa State University, Sarah moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked in several congressional offices and for the National Corn Growers Association.

It was during her time in the Nation's Capital that she met her now- husband, Dalton, and the two moved back to Dalton's old stomping grounds in Randolph, Kansas. The move back to the Plains allowed Sarah to serve as my district ag director and later as my district director.

This month, Sarah will begin a more part-time role with the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers so she can focus on her two precious sons, Samuel and Abraham.

I thank Sarah for leading our district team well, for being an incredible advocate and friend, and for caring about Kansas.

Audrey and I are excited for her in this next chapter of life as she adjusts

to being a family of four. I thank her again for being such an integral part of our team.

Mr. Speaker, for 4 years, the Biden administration's weak foreign policies allowed Communist China, Russia, Iran, and other adversaries to take full advantage of America. This weakness has put Americans in danger, made America less secure, and hurt America's reputation with our longstanding allies and friends.

When President Biden campaigned for President, he promised Americans that he would be a unifying figure. Rather than sticking to his word, he spent much of his tenure undoing President Trump's popular policies, foreign and domestic, regardless of their effectiveness.

This stubbornness and pure partisanship have backfired and made America less secure than it was just 4 years ago. For example, President Biden orchestrated the largest botched withdrawal of American troops of our generation when he abandoned vulnerable Americans in Afghanistan and allowed the Taliban to regain control and diminish the freedoms our country worked so hard to preserve.

When President Trump worked on the Doha agreement, he required the Taliban to curb terrorist activity in Afghanistan and the region. President Biden, on the other hand, never required the Taliban to agree to those same conditions, withdrew without a long-term strategy, and allowed terrorists to make themselves at home in Afghanistan once again.

President Biden's weakness on the world stage continues to be on full display in the Middle East in his appeasement strategy with the Iranian regime.

Iran is not America's friend. We all know that, yet President Biden ignores Iran's bad intentions and Iran's possession of resources that pose a great threat to our allies, including Israel.

While President Trump applied a maximum-pressure strategy that constrained Tehran financially, President Biden was at the helm as Iranian-backed militias attacked our troops more than 170 times without consequence. President Biden's so-called strategy only emboldened Hamas and other Iran-backed proxies to attack our ally Israel, launching the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Other adversaries are closely watching. China continues planning its invasion of Taiwan and increases its influence in America's absence. Just this week, several of my colleagues joined me in expressing concerns to President Biden about Communist China's growing influence at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. A recent proposal from the current FAO director-general and former Chinese Vice Minister would extend the director-general's tenure from 8 years to a decade, increase his already $300,000 salary, and give Communist China more control of the U.S.-led World Food Program.

America cannot afford to sit by idly, even during our time of political transition, while China positions itself to expand its influence.

I have been blessed to grow up in a world where the United States has led the free world. I want my children, their children, and future generations to grow up in a similar world, but I understand that leadership didn't come from being passive or trying to tap dance around communism.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, one of Kansas' favorite sons, military hero, and our 34th United States President, dedicated his entire career to promoting freedom and waging peace. He helped shape the global U.S. leadership many of us know today. In his inaugural address, he said: ``History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.''

Unfortunately, the Biden administration has chosen timidness and tiptoed approaches to foreign policy to placate far-left activists. Luckily, Mr. Speaker, this will soon be over. I would say to America that we got it right. President Trump is committed to securing American peace through strength and making it clear to our enemies that we will not tolerate any nonsense.

It is a new day in America, and the days of American weakness are gone. I look forward to working with President Trump and the incoming House and Senate Republican majorities to restore America's leadership and make the country safe again. Our brightest days are yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, when I come to this floor, I often speak about how our brightest days are yet to come, about the next generation of Americans, and about the future we should be working to build for them.

Currently, the Biden administration and Washington's embrace of fiscal insanity is a stumbling block to reaching that future. In November, America's national debt climbed to $36 trillion.

This is not normal. Washington, D.C., has a spending addiction, and it is just expected that Americans and future generations of Americans will pay for it. Our Nation, our children, our future grandchildren, and our future great-grandchildren cannot afford for us to continue kicking the can down the road.

Last year, the U.S. Census revealed that the median household income was nearly $80,000. Today, if everyone decided to pitch in and tackle our debt, every American household would need to contribute almost $273,000 to bring our balance to zero.

Compare that price tag to the average mortgage in the United States, which is about $245,000. Our national debt 4 years ago was nearly $28 trillion. Over the course of 1,400 days, the United States accumulated a debt of $68,352 per second.

No American family could survive that way. Yet, year after year, this is the way our Federal Government acts. This is not sustainable.

If any Member of this body had a loved one who was racking up debt at this rate, none of us would encourage them to mindlessly continue their spending habits. We would do what we could to help them evaluate their spending and get them back on the right track.

Yet, only about half of this body seems to care about how our Federal Government spends our tax dollars. Our fiscal house is in utter disaster, and we need to get serious and start finding solutions.

Since I was sworn into Congress, I have sounded the alarm on our national debt. I have opposed bloated spending packages that only focused on funding far-left wish lists. I fought to reduce and reprioritize our Federal spending. I have challenged this body to think about the blank checks we are writing and ask ourselves: Is there a way to do this more efficiently?

This petition has often been ignored while Washington sticks to business as normal and spends, spends, spends. Enough is enough. This is not fiscal responsibility. This is fiscal insanity.

On November 5, 2024, America made it clear that we no longer want business as usual in this town. It is time to get our fiscal house in order and to get our country back on track.

As America approaches its 250th birthday, President-elect Trump was spot-on in creating the Department of Government Efficiency as a perfect gift to our Nation and to the next generation of Americans.

Mr. President, hear me loud and clear: We will work with you to make our government work for the people again, to make it efficient again, and

to clean up our fiscal house. Let's work together to end the Federal Government's out-of-control spending once and for all.

This challenge is not going to be easy, but America is worth it. The future of our country is worth it. The next generation of Americans is worth it.

I know that we can do it. We are going to have to do it together, and our brightest days truly are yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, when I last spoke on this floor, I laid out the choice the country had before us. Then, on November 5, 2024, America made its choice loud and clear. America gave Washington, D.C., a mandate endorsing the greatest political comeback in American history with the election of President Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States and Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate.

Kansas and the Big First District rejected 4 more years of the chaos we have experienced under President Biden and Vice President Harris. They voted for a government that works for the people and makes their lives easier, not one that handcuffs them and their families with overreaching regulations. They voted for a government that enforces the law and seeks commonsense solutions, not open-border policies that put our national security at risk. They voted to reduce Federal spending, to end the weaponization of the Federal Government once and for all, and for our future.

When I came to Congress almost 4 years ago, America was strong, our streets were safe, and our border was much more secure. House Republicans and President Trump had passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, putting more money in the pockets of American families and spurring economic growth that led to the strongest U.S. economy in decades.

The Trump administration had spearheaded historic trade agreements and peace agreements across the globe that kept Americans competitive and secure.

Rather than capitalizing on that momentum and strength, the Biden- Harris administration wasted 4 years pushing through partisan, trillion-dollar spending packages and using the Federal Government to air its grievances with the previous administration. America clearly said: No more.

Mr. Speaker, those days are long gone. This House Republican majority, alongside President Trump and the incoming Senate Republican majority, are ready to restore American greatness and the American Dream. We are committed to securing a future American families can feel optimistic about.

When I ran for Congress, I promised to fight for agriculture and our conservative Kansas values. That commitment stands. While there is a lot of work to do to get this Nation back on track, I humbly accept that challenge. I am committed to working with my colleagues to unleash American energy and finally rein in energy prices that have crippled American families for the past 4 years. I will fight to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent and once again empower working and middle-class families who have been strangled by the record-level inflation caused by Washington Democrat spending. I will work for commonsense policies that don't empower the Mexican cartels or incentivize illegal immigration. Americans deserve an immigration system that makes it easier for people to come here legally and more difficult for people to come here illegally. That should not be controversial.

The task before us is a big one, but I have never been more confident in our ability to deliver for America and get this country back on track.

Farewell to Sydney Robinson

Mr. Speaker, for the past 2\1/2\ years, my family and team have been blessed and honored to call Sydney Robinson a colleague and, most importantly, a friend. Sydney is a fellow believer, an incredibly hard worker, and one of the best that Capitol Hill has to offer.

Sydney joined my team in 2022 and has served as staff assistant, scheduler, and, most recently, as our director of operations. She often served as the face of the front office, ensuring that whether it was a Kansans' first or fiftieth trip to our office, they were met with enthusiasm, kindness, and professionalism. Over the years, she oversaw our internship program; assisted Kansans during their visits to the Nation's Capital; balanced an ever-changing schedule, prioritizing time in the district, votes, and committee activity; and much more.

On top of all that, Sydney helped our team host weekly prayer breakfasts for Members of Congress and the 2024 National Prayer Breakfast. As the co-chair of the National Prayer Breakfast, I am honored to plan and host the event for congressional leaders, the President of the United States, and spiritual leaders. It is no easy task, but Sydney served as a partner in bringing every detail and logistic to life.

Sydney will always be part of Team Mann, and Audrey and I are deeply grateful for her service to our team, my family, and to the Big First District of Kansas. She will be deeply missed in Cannon 344, but we will all be praying for her and rooting for her in the days ahead.

I thank Sydney for serving so incredibly well. She makes everything she touches better. It is an honor and privilege to call her a friend.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for hosting this Special Order hour and for yielding me some time.

This month, Americans celebrate National Rural Health Month, where we believe every American should have access to quality, affordable healthcare regardless of their ZIP Code.

The Big First District of Kansas is made up of 60 primarily rural counties and is home to more critical access hospitals than any other district in the Nation, several rural emergency hospitals, and a number of rural health clinics, community health centers, and federally qualified health centers. This network of care facilities is an essential pillar for providing everyday health services and lifesaving care to Kansans.

I am committed to supporting this network and networks like it, removing red tape that handcuffs providers from providing care to rural communities, advocating for increase in telehealth services, and supporting programs that provide a safety net for rural America.

While this still is very much a work in progress, we celebrate the dedicated rural healthcare workers, hospitals, and service providers who provide care day in and day out to rural America. We are incredibly grateful for their service this rural healthcare month and every month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge this will be the very last time I speak in this Chamber before the next Presidential election.

In the coming weeks, the American people will head to the polls, and we will have a choice before us. We can choose 4 more years of Vice President Harris chaos and madness, or we can choose 4 years of law and order and American strength.

When I came to Congress almost 4 years ago, America was strong, our streets were safe, and our border was more secure than at any time in recent history. Prior to the pandemic, the U.S. had one of the strongest economies we have had in the past 20 years.

Even in the face of adversity, President Trump led the Federal Government in empowering America's small businesses and families.

Just a few years before, House Republicans passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that put more money in the pockets of American families, put more food on their tables, and better positioned them to care for each other.

Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, America's strength was well understood on the world stage. The Trump administration spearheaded the historic Abraham Accords, and the U.S. was tough on adversaries like Communist China, Iran, and their terrorist proxies. We saw an era of historic trade deals with the passage of USMCA, President Trump's trade deal with Japan, and his administration's work to hold China accountable for the deal it agreed to. It truly was an era of American greatness.

Unfortunately, much of that greatness has been undermined. I once looked at the Nation and felt optimistic about the future that awaited my children. I felt that when it was time for them to spread their wings and build their own lives, they would inherit a country that gave them the opportunity to pursue their American Dreams.

I was confident that when their time came for them to purchase a home, choose a college or university, or start their own small business, they would step into an economy that would empower them to successfully do these things.

On January 21, 2021, that started to change. Vice President Harris and President Biden have made America less safe, destroyed the American economy, and made America look weak on the world stage.

Since day one, Vice President Harris and President Biden have been laser focused on rolling back President Trump's policies that actually worked.

Their open-border policies have ushered 16 million illegal immigrants into the country without adequate background checks or vetting, making every State in this country a border State. Rather than fixing their open-border policies, they coddle radical activists and leave Americans at risk. Under their leadership, cartels and drug lords have been the winners, and the American people have been the losers.

Vice President Harris and President Biden's economic policies are the primary reason for the skyrocketing inflation that has haunted America over the past 3 years.

In the Big First District of Kansas, American families, small business owners, farmers, ranchers, and our agricultural producers have struggled to manage sky-high interest rates, higher input costs, and a crumbling economy. For young Americans, homeownership feels like a distant dream. Rather than reversing bad policies or coming up with solutions to these challenges, the Biden-Harris administration's proposal is more reckless government spending that got us here in the first place.

Vice President Harris and President Biden have failed to capitalize on the strength of President Trump's trade deals and have formed zero new trade deals in the last 4 years. The country is facing the largest agricultural trade deficit that we have faced in years, hurting American farmers, ranchers, and ag producers, who desperately want access to new markets to help feed a hungry world.

Vice President Harris and President Biden's weak foreign policy gave Russia a green light to attack Ukraine while their appeasement to the Iranian regime emboldened Iran-backed Hamas to attack our strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel. As anti-Semitism rotted our own Nation, college campuses, and universities, the Biden-Harris administration turned a blind eye and instead held up congressionally approved arms for Israel to protect itself.

Mr. Speaker, is this the future that we want? Do we want to gift our children a nation with wide-open borders? Do we want them to grow up in a country with an economy that fails to work for the average family and fails to address our $35 trillion debt? Do we want a nation that is unsafe or where the American Dream is no longer attainable?

In a few short weeks, we will head to the polls, and we have a choice. We can vote for a candidate who has told us what she wants to do to address her own failing policies, or we can vote for a candidate who has shown us what his policies can do to strengthen the Nation. I know the choice that I will make.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a milestone in American history. In the aftermath of the Civil War, longhorn cattle ran free in Texas, and markets in the East had a dire need for beef. To meet that need, the Nation called on young cowboys to gather the wild cattle and move them north to the railroads in Kansas.

They brought the cattle to stockyard towns like Abilene, Wichita, and Ellsworth. As cattle diseases moved west, cattlemen needed another route to bring cattle north, and in 1874, the Western Trail was pioneered along Kansas prairies.

According to Kansas historians, the Western Cattle Trail would last longer, carry more cattle, and cover a greater distance than any other trail. These historic cattle drives set the stage for today's modern beef industry where the Big First District is the number one district for beef production in the country.

On November 1 and 2, the Western Cattle Trail and International Chisolm Trail Association will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Western Cattle Trail in Dodge City.

I commend those celebrating the history of cattle trails, while giving thanks to the farmers, ranchers, stockmen, and communities who continue the cowboy tradition while helping feed the world.

Madam Speaker, as a Member of Congress from one of the largest agricultural producing districts in the country, I am concerned with Communist China's impact on American agriculture.

Over the past decade, China's investment in American assets like farmland and intellectual property have grown tenfold. Kansans are rightly concerned about China's questionable ambitions, so I supported legislation that requires the Secretary of Agriculture to report on foreign transactions. No other nation allows its adversaries to go unchecked in purchasing its property, and America shouldn't either.

Since 2000, the U.S. has more than doubled the total imports of used cooking oil from China. That is equal to displacing more than 5 years of soybean harvest from my home State of Kansas. Kansans are concerned about China taking America's place in the market, so I led 40 of my colleagues in demanding that the U.S. Treasury reserve the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit for domestic fuel made from domestic feedstocks. American tax credits must be used to benefit American producers. That should be a no-brainer.

We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to adversarial behavior and put our national security at risk. We must let China know in no uncertain terms that America is not up for grabs.

Mr. Speaker, last week, I couldn't help but notice the stark differences in the plans that Democrats and Republicans laid out for America's future.

During my townhalls, Kansans demanded that we address our national debt and crushing inflation. They are shocked about the millions of illegal immigrants who have and continue to enter the country and the risks that they pose to the integrity of our elections. Our country is going down the wrong path, and we need to fix it, quickly.

During our convention, President Trump and the Republicans laid out our vision to make America wealthy again, safe again, strong again, and to make America great again.

Meanwhile, President Biden withdrew from the race, propping up Vice President Harris as the Democratic nominee. Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, Vice President Harris is the chief executive officer of President Biden's border crisis and is the mastermind behind his pro- abortion policies. A Harris administration would simply be a more radical continuation of the last 3\1/2\ years. Americans deserve better.

The contrast could not be clearer. The Republican Party is the only party that is prepared to get America back on track.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss President Biden's open border.

Since President Biden was sworn in, his open-border policies have created a national security and humanitarian crisis. House Republicans continue to urge the White House and our Democrat colleagues in Congress to work with us to identify solutions. Again and again, we are met with silence.

I understand border security may not be politically convenient for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but at some point, they must stop pretending that this crisis does not exist.

I found it telling that over the Fourth of July weekend, the White House touted that illegal crossings along the U.S. southern border decreased following President Biden's recent executive order. What they conveniently left out is that even with this executive order, May was still the 39th straight month where illegal immigrant encounters have been higher than even the highest month under President Trump's administration.

I understand that the White House is in desperate need of good press, but with all due respect, Mr. Speaker, the facts are the facts. Our borders are far from secure, and no feel-good story or graphic from the White House communications team is going to change that.

I spent last week with Kansans in 11 counties across the Big First District, and they were clear: Addressing the Nation's border crisis matters to them.

Under President Biden's policies, cartels have been winners, and innocent children and those who are trying to enter the country legally have been the losers. It doesn't have to be this way. Let's do something to fix this chaos.

First, we need to immediately finish the border wall. Time and time again,

Border Patrol agents have shared that a physical barrier along our Nation's borders, coupled with advanced technology, is extremely helpful in stopping the cartels. We also need to designate the Mexican cartels as exactly what they are, terrorists. These human smugglers get rich by putting lives at risk and pouring fentanyl into our country. It is unacceptable.

We need to implement policies that are actually effective. On his first day in office, President Biden immediately began rolling back the Trump administration's immigration policies for no other reason than they were associated with President Trump's name. President Biden never asked if the policies were helping curb illegal immigration or slow illegal immigrants from entering the country or whether it was good for the United States of America.

It was simply: If President Trump did it, then it is gone. That has backfired on President Biden, and the polls show that. There is a reason President Trump is more trusted on the border than President Biden. We need to reinstate remain in Mexico and end President Biden's disastrous catch-and-release policy.

Finally, we must change our tone to send a clear message: Do not come to the U.S. illegally.

At the start of his Presidency, President Biden promised outright citizenship to more than 11 million illegal immigrants. America is a Nation of legal immigrants, and the President's false promise was a slap in the face to the 2 million people who legally migrate to the U.S. each year the right way. We should make legal immigration easier and illegal immigration harder. Mr. President, this is not rocket science. It is simple.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues again today: What will it take for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to come to the table to secure the border? We can't keep pretending the current situation is normal. It is the minority's move.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a fellow Kansan, a great neighbor, a public servant, and an even better friend.

Since 1985, Tim Rogers has served as executive director of the Salina Airport Authority. For almost 40 years, he has been at the helm of bringing the Salina Airport Authority's mission to life--to become a trusted leader, to propel economic growth, and to strengthen partnerships. Under his leadership, the Salina Regional Airport has become well known as America's fuel stop and as one of the leading forward operating locations for military and research missions in the

Mr. Speaker, last week President Biden stated that the border should not be a political issue to be weaponized. I agree that Americans don't have time for games in Washington, but I think the President should take his own advice.

Since day one of his Presidency, President Biden has been laser focused on rolling back President Trump's policies that were effective in lowering illegal immigration. As a result, we have had nearly 12 million illegal encounters at our border since January of 2021, with this past April being the 38th straight month that encounters at the border have been higher than even the highest month under President Trump.

For 3 years, House Republicans have passed good legislation that would actually secure the southern border and have urged President Biden to work with us on the border crisis, and we have been met with silence. President Biden needs to wake up.

Just this week, CBP and the FBI arrested eight men with ISIS ties in New York, L.A., and Philadelphia who all entered the country through Biden's wide-open southern border. We can't keep pretending this is normal. We need to secure our border now.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 7, 2024, and further when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a great Kansan, Michaela Todd. Michaela is a hardworking staffer, former volunteer, someone who is deeply committed to the conservative cause, a person of deep faith, and a friend.

Michaela has been a part of my team since my very first day serving in the House, beginning as a staff assistant, and most recently as press secretary. Although it is bittersweet, the time has come for her to spread her wings and begin a new journey.

Michaela has faithfully served Kansas and the Big First, and I am incredibly grateful for her service to our team and the district.

On behalf of Kansas and the Big First and my team here in D.C., Michaela, thank you for your hard work and service over the past 3\1/2\ years. We have served better because of your contribution to the team, and we are grateful for your time in the office. We wish you the best of luck in your new endeavor and are praying for your success as you transition into your new role.

Madam Speaker, this is a week that farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers in my State of Kansas have long awaited. The House Agriculture Committee will finally mark up a 5-year farm bill.

I will start by thanking Chairman G.T. Thompson for leading the committee and developing a bipartisan, comprehensive, fiscally conservative farm bill that gives our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers the certainty they deserve.

Around this time last year, the chairman and I hosted a farm bill listening session next to a wheat field in my district. We heard from 150 Kansans about their priorities for a farm bill. They were clear: They need a farm bill that gives them certainty as they work day in and day out to feed, clothe, and fuel the world. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act does just that.

This farm bill strengthens the farm safety net and protects crop insurance. Agricultural producers in Kansas understand firsthand how important that is. In February 2021, Kansas had 13 consecutive days of below-freezing temperatures, which is a 40-year record. Our producers worked around the clock to protect their cattle and ensure they survived. Just last summer, drought and market conditions in Kansas caused producers to abandon the highest number of acres of wheat since World War I. Wheat farmers have seen a 35 percent decrease in production in the last year as a result.

Madam Speaker, the reality is Mother Nature is a very difficult business partner. One bad crop year could put the livelihood of our producers and their families at risk. This farm bill gives these hardworking individuals more certainty by strengthening the farm safety net, adjusting reference prices, and modernizing the Livestock Indemnity program, dairy supports, and Conservation Reserve Program.

The committee's farm bill also maintains American food independence and invests tax dollars in places we can see a return on those dollars. America is the freest country in the world, in part because we have never had to rely on another country to feed us. At the heart of that independence is agricultural research and innovation.

The Big First is home to some of the crown jewels of the animal health corridor: Kansas State University and the National Bio and Agro- Defense facility. These institutions give the Nation a scientific hub of world-renowned research. Kansas State University is conducting groundbreaking research into areas, including new heat-tolerant wheat varieties and higher yielding sorghum. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's state-of-the-art NBAF in Manhattan will conduct research into serious animal disease threats to be an important backstop in protecting our Nation's food supply. This work, and America's continued ability to feed ourselves for generations to come, depend on a 5-year farm bill that prioritizes food security as national security.

Madam Speaker, this farm bill makes robust investments in the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development programs that ensure our American producers remain in the international marketplace. It proactively addresses issues like deferred maintenance costs at land- grant institutions and the country's veterinarian shortage before that problem gets even worse.

I have been to this floor nearly 30 times to push for my priorities in this farm bill: to protect and strengthen crop insurance, to promote trade programs that help America remain competitive and secure, conduct rigorous oversight of the executive branch to fight Big Government overreach, and invest in agricultural research at America's land-grant universities. I am pleased that the Farm, Food, and National Security Act does just that.

We need to pass a 5-year fiscally conservative farm bill that is long enough to provide certainty and short enough for Congress to respond to market changes. Farm bills feed every corner of the Nation from New England to the islands of Hawaii, both our coasts, down to the Gulf, and even the heartland of this country, including Kansas. American agricultural producers and consumers are counting on it. The legislation we mark up this week will have ripple effects for years to come. This body and Congress must use this legislation to address the concerns we have all heard over the last several years.

When we kicked off our farm bill listening session last year, there were three combines parked behind us: John Deere, Case, and Gleaner.

When you grow up on a farm, you are born into loyalty to one of these trusted American brands. They have different styles and features, but they are all designed to do the same thing: harvest. Our listening session that day and the bill that House Agriculture marks up this week are no different. We all have different priorities and backgrounds, but we are all here to do the same thing: harvest, work hard, and effectively churn out a product, the farm bill.

America's farmers, ranchers, and ag producers deserve it, America's food and national security depend on it, and Congress must deliver it.

This farm bill is something our ag community can be proud of. It puts dollars in places where Americans can see a good return on their investment. It tightens budgets and reins in reckless spending that doesn't serve taxpayers. Most importantly, this bill ensures that American farmers, ranchers, and ag producers can continue to keep us all fueled, fed, and clothed. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act is the first step in the right direction, and I look forward to this week's markup.