Collins Emphasizes Need to Protect Agricultural Community
Washington, D.C.—This week, Representative Mike Collins (R-Ga.) addressed H.R. 4368, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, from the House floor. In his remarks on the legislation to fund several federal agencies for Fiscal Year 2024, Rep. Collins emphasized the need to protect America's agricultural community.
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Key Excerpts "I want to highlight the work that this legislation does to reign in wasteful Washington spending while strengthening our rural communities and protecting our food supply." "This year’s Agricultural Appropriations Bill reigns in Washington’s spending and D.C. bureaucracy by directing the USDA to focus state hiring efforts on assisting rural communities and producers." Background According to a 2021 report by the Department of Agriculture, China owns 384,000 acres of American agricultural land; ownership which jumped by 30% from 2019 to 2020. H.R. 4368 provides $25.3 billion in funding for the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. Under this bill, the Department of Agriculture receives $17.8 billion in funding, which is $8 billion below the FY23 level, and $11 billion below the Biden administration’s budget request. ### |