FARM, FOOD, AND NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 2026

On 2026-04-29, Representative Tracey Mann (R-KS-1) delivered a floor speech titled "FARM, FOOD, AND NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 2026" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered taxes, the environment. It referenced legislation including HR7567, HR1, HR7206, among other bills.

FARM, FOOD, AND NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 2026

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 75 (Wednesday, April 29, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 29, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3169-H3290] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] {time} 2240 FARM, FOOD, AND NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 2026 General Leave Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7567. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lucas). Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania? There was no objection. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 7567 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 7567. The Chair appoints the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) to preside over the Committee of the Whole. {time} 2241 In the Committee of the Whole Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 7567) to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2031, and for other purposes, with Mr. Simpson in the chair. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read for first time. General debate shall be confined to the bill and amendments specified and shall not exceed 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Agriculture or their respective designees. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) and the gentlewoman from Minneapolis (Ms. Craig) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson). Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. It is more evident than ever that rural America needs a new farm bill now, not next year or next Congress. Producers are operating under the third consecutive farm bill extension, and the simple truth is the policies of 2018 are no match for the challenges of 2026. It is time to get this critical legislation done. I have said it before and I will say it again, because it is important: This bill was not written in Congress. It was written out in the fields and pastures of our great Nation while the Agriculture Committee held over 150 listening sessions. We went to farmers and ranchers in rural communities, and we asked them what they needed from Congress. Every provision in this bill is directly informed by what we learned in these listening sessions. Today, you will hear some opposing comments made that this is a partisan bill, and even more, on what is not in the bill. I would like to remind everyone of the facts. This bill is filled with good policy that is also overwhelmingly bipartisan. Upon introduction, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act included or drew upon 150 bipartisan marker bills. During the committee's 22-hour markup, over 100 amendments were offered and debated with 46 adopted, split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. It passed the committee with strong bipartisan support. It also enjoys the endorsement of over 500 agriculture stakeholder groups. I am asking Congress to join the hardworking men and women who feed, fuel, and clothe our country in supporting this farm bill. Now is not the time to turn our backs on rural America. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. CRAIG. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in opposition to this bill. Mr. Chair, at kitchen tables across this country, millions of Americans--seniors, working parents, and farmers--are wondering how they are going to pay the bills or not lose money this planting season. From tariffs that have cost our farmers' markets to a war that has increased the cost of fertilizer and diesel, [[Page H3170]] farmers are struggling to hold on to that third-or fourth-generation farm. This so-called skinny farm bill in front of us today does nothing to stop these losses or to help offset the $54 billion in losses farmers have had to absorb. Worse yet, it doesn't fix any of the underlying policy choices by Republicans and this administration that caused the problems in the first place. It turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting. It locks in the $187 billion cut to food assistance that Republicans made in the big, ugly bill--putting more pressure on struggling Americans at a time when the cost of groceries and healthcare continues to grow. That is what the farm bill doesn't do. It doesn't lower costs. It doesn't help save one family farm from bankruptcy, which is up nearly 50 percent since this administration took office. So what does this so-called bill attempt to do? It protects the world's largest pesticide companies from lawsuits, cuts farm conservation programs by $1 billion, and overturns the will of voters in States nationwide that set specific animal welfare and food standards for themselves. Putting the harmful policies aside, the political calculus on this should be easy. Do we want to lower costs for farmers and working people, or do we want to protect pesticide companies and lock in cuts to food assistance at a time when grocery prices are spiking? Do we want to pass a farm bill that delivers for farmers on the verge of bankruptcy and families going hungry, or do we want to sit on our hands and make excuses? I urge my colleagues to reject this version of the farm bill and force Republicans back to the table to negotiate a true bipartisan bill that prioritizes the cost of living crisis in this country. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I just want to note that most of what the gentlewoman, a good friend of mine, says is not in this bill is not in our jurisdiction. It is not a part of the farm bill because it doesn't fit. Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas), the chairman of the Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee and chair emeritus of the Committee on Agriculture. Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to stand here today to offer my enthusiastic support for the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. As the former chairman of this committee, I have been down this road before, and while passing a comprehensive farm bill is never easy, the rewards can be seen in tangible ways in every facet of our communities. They can be seen not just on the farms but in the grocery stores, the universities, the fire stations, the community facilities, and rural hospitals across this great Nation. To my colleagues who will cast their vote tomorrow, whether you represent a top agricultural district, small town, or a booming metropolis, the policies in this bill will affect you. This bill will ensure that American farmers can continue to raise the food and fiber that ultimately finds its way into your home, and it will ensure that the next generation can continue that legacy. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' with me on final passage, and I thank Chairman Thompson for bringing forth this bill today. Ms. CRAIG. Mr. Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), my distinguished colleague. Mrs. HAYES. Mr. Chair, today we are considering a farm bill that fails to meet the needs of families and farmers across the country. We heard several times in the opening reference that this farm bill meets the needs of rural America, but a farm bill should meet the needs of all Americans. I only wish that we were debating this at an hour where the American public could pay attention and listen. Last year, the House of Representatives considered H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, by $187 billion to give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans in our country. {time} 2250 Republicans have gutted the most effective anti-hunger program in the United States, which will have unforeseen consequences for generations. We are already seeing the impact. Since H.R. 1 was enacted, more than 3 million Americans have been kicked off SNAP, with losses reported in every single State. In Connecticut, over 33,000 people have already lost their benefits, and we expect that number to rise. Families are having to choose between keeping a roof over their heads and paying for healthcare as food becomes yet another impossible trade- off. It is not because their needs have changed, but because this Congress has changed the rules. This farm bill is unacceptable in its current form and does not meet the moment. It does not repair the damage. It does not restore the benefits, and it does not respond to the warnings from States and counties that the Federal Government is shifting massive administrative costs onto, forcing local governments to consider raising taxes, tightening eligibility, or scaling back services just to keep these programs afloat. This farm bill includes a blanket liability shield for large pesticide corporations. It rolls back critical environmental conservation programs. It offers no plans to address the tariffs and trade instability that are already squeezing producers around the country. Once again, this farm bill does nothing to address the $187 billion in SNAP cuts already enacted. In fact, it cements those cuts. At a time when grocery prices are rising and tariffs are increasing costs for families and farmers, we should be restoring SNAP and expanding access; not cutting it. This is not a farm bill that strengthens rural America and feeds the millions of food-insecure Americans already at risk. We need a farm bill tha

Referenced legislation: HR1, HRES1224, HR7206, HR7567