Minority News

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said critical assistance to the nation’s livestock producers devastated by historic drought conditions was ignored by Senate Democrats for partisan gain. “I am outraged the Senate Democrats left...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry today made the following remarks at a hearing of the Agriculture Committee entitled, “Continued Review of MF Global: Accountability in the Futures Markets.” “Today’s topics are serious...

WASHINGTON, DC – At a hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on the Egg Products Inspection Act, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today said he was concerned the act would cause a dramatic increase in the price of eggs for consumers already struggling in this economy. “At a time when stalled economic...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, led efforts today with Republican members of the committee, in asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for assistance for producers suffering from drought conditions.“While several states are experiencing the...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, today launched efforts to ensure Kansas farmers and ranchers have access to all available assistance due to severe drought across the nation and much of the state. “Lack of rainfall and high temperatures has had a devastating...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee today delivered the following opening remarks at a hearing examining the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection act after its second year as law. Witnesses testifying before the Agriculture Committee...

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to news reports that USDA is encouraging increased participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through Spanish soap operas, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack demanding a full accounting of the scope and effectiveness of taxpayer...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today applauded U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s efforts to improve federal disaster assistance by cutting red tape and reducing delays for this critical aid. “At a time when Kansas and other states are suffering from...

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today introduced a bill to prohibit the deduction of medical marijuana when determining federal nutrition benefits. “Federal nutrition assistance, provided by American taxpayers, should not be boosted due to...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, today applauded Senate approval of the Farm Bill and called for swift House consideration to provide America’s farmers, ranchers and consumers with certainty before the current law expires September 30th. The...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry today said the Senate should approve the Farm Bill because it reforms American agriculture and saves the taxpayer $23 billion. The full Senate began debate on the bill late Tuesday. The Farm Bill, written by...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the following statement regarding MF Global Bankruptcy Trustee James Giddens’ report: “In December at our hearing, when John Corzine and witness after witness could not imagine what...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry today said the committee reported out the 2012 Farm Bill, officially called the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act, which reduces spending on agriculture programs by over $23 billion, strengthens the safety...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said the Committee’s 2012 Farm Bill would reform Agriculture in America, saving nearly $23 billion and consolidating nearly 100 programs while ensuring critical safety nets are improved to allow...

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry issued the following statement regarding the postponement of the Agriculture Committee mark-up scheduled for tomorrow morning: “I support Chairwoman Stabenow’s decision to postpone the Farm Bill mark-up scheduled for...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry, and Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), the Committee’s Ranking Member, today said that the USDA’s proven firewalls and internationally recognized safeguards that protect against potential cases of BSE (Bovine...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) Chairwoman of the Committee, today introduced legislation to establish a foundation to solicit private donations to enhance research for the most pressing challenge facing...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, ranking member U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today said he would continue work to preserve, protect and strengthen crop insurance for producers to improve stability of the nation’s safe and abundant food supply and to enhance rural...

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today said a proposal to award huge cash bonuses to MF Global executives to aid in the search for missing client funds following the firm’s bankruptcy is absurd. “This is not your ordinary Chapter 11 bankruptcy,” Roberts said. “The process to return customer funds to their...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee hearing on nutrition programs and the marketing of local and regional products, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member, today said all titles of the Farm Bill should be consolidated, streamlined and evaluated to determine the best use of taxpayer...