Rep. Kristi Noem today spoke on the House floor to highlight the critical importance of livestock disaster programs to South Dakota producers. These programs expired in September of 2011, leaving producers uncovered during this drought year. Rep. Noem successfully inserted a reauthorization of the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) into the House Agriculture Committee-passed Farm Bill. The programs would also be retroactive to cover producers in this drought year. Rep. Noem called for action on a Farm Bill that would ensure livestock producers had these disaster programs available to them.
During a Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands hearing on legislation to help combat the pine beetle epidemic, Rep. Kristi Noem questioned Mary Wagner, Associate Chief for the U.S. Forest Service, on the agency's response to the epidemic. Rep. Noem recently inserted provisions into the House Agriculture Committee-passed Farm Bill that would streamline environmental processes to get boots on the ground faster and increase the area emergency mitigation tactics can be implemented to help get ahead of the beetle.
Rep. Noem offered an amendment during Farm Bill debate in the House Agriculture Committee to strengthen the bill's language on a sodsaver provision she championed. Rep. Noem and Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) introduced the Protect our Prairies Act in May. The Farm Bill included the provision, but limited its scope to the Prairie Pothole Region. Rep. Noem's amendment, which she offered with Rep. Walz, would have expanded the program nationwide to maximize taxpayer savings.
Rep. Noem offered an amendment during Farm Bill debate in the House Agriculture Committee on the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). The amendment gives USDA the necessary flexibility to protect BCAP funding that has already been invested and to ensure that existing projects are given proper support. It does this by making ongoing or existing projects a factor to be considered by the Secretary.
Rep. Kristi Noem offered an amendment during Farm Bill debate to permanently establish an Office of Tribal Relations in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure the Secretary is advised on policy impacting Native Americans and Tribal access to USDA programs. This would not cost the federal government any additional money. Instead, it directs USDA to manage its resources in a way that can enhance its coordination with Native Americans and help ensure their access to USDA programs.
Rep. Kristi Noem spoke in the House Agriculture Committee in support of her amendment to increase the number of acres for categorical exclusions to be used for pine beetle mitigation efforts in USDA-designated areas as part of the National Forest Critical Area Response from 1,000 to 10,000. Categorical exclusions are typically used as an emergency, rapid-response for areas needing immediate attention due to the threat of wildfire or spread of pine beetles. Rep. Noem's amendment passed with bipartisan support.
During debate on the Farm Bill in the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Noem voiced her support for an amendment offered by Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA), which would require USDA to conduct a workload assessment before any FSA county office closes in the future. Rep. Noem introduced legislation in March to prevent FSA office clsoures if area producers had to drive more than 20 miles to reach another.
Rep. Kristi Noem spoke on the House floor to reiterate her strong opposition to the Presidnet's health care law and her intention to vote again for a full repeal.
Rep. Noem today questioned panelists at a Natural Resources Committee meeting entitled "Mandatory Conditioning Requirements on Hydropower: How Federal Resource Agencies are Driving Up Electricity Costs and Decreasing the Original Green Energy." Rep. Noem questioned the different set of rules used by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and resource agencies.