Issues
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Agriculture I am proud of the role that agriculture contributes to the economy of North Carolina and our nation. During my tenure in Congress, I have sought to promote and support policies that I believe augment the role farm families play in feeding our nation and the world. Examples include my support of the 2008 Farm Bill that provides a necessary safety net for family farms to ensure they remain viable, even during difficult economic times. The law also created an Economic Adjustment Assistance Program between cotton farmers and textile companies, which I championed, along with several of my colleagues. This program encourages use of U.S. cotton and is mutually beneficial to cotton producers and textile mills located in North Carolina. I have also opposed measures that I believe would negatively affect agriculture and farm families. For example, I have consistently voiced concerns regarding efforts to grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the ability to regulate tobacco products. My opposition was based on the reality that granting FDA this authority opens the door to permitting the agency to regulate the family farm. Further, it is my belief that this authority threatens thousands of tobacco manufacturing jobs in my district and in North Carolina. When Congress granted FDA the authority to regulate tobacco in 2009, I opposed the measure based upon the aforementioned concerns. Finally, I have consistently opposed efforts to expand the federal government’s authority over our nation’s waterways. Specifically, the Clean Water Restoration Act, which would remove the term “navigable” from the law to expand the scope of the Clean Water Act to all water. In my opinion, this is ill-advised and would create serious ramifications for businesses and agriculture. I continue to work with my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure committee to oppose the concept of this unnecessary government regulation. |