‘And at the risk of repeating myself, I think there’s a lesson here: Unless we find a common-sense, bipartisan path forward on legislation, we all end up empty handed’



Washington, D.C. – Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement on Friday regarding final passage of the Farm Bill:



“We’ve put a couple of good days together now.



“Yesterday was a good step forward with the energy bill. Now we’re about to achieve something else.



“It’s no mystery why: When the Majority decided to work with us on Energy, we achieved a consensus. And when they decided to work with us on the Farm Bill, same thing.



“This bill contains some very good things. And for that we all owe a lot to Senator Chambliss. And I want to thank him for his outstanding work on this bill, and for his patience. This one required a lot of it.



“And I also want to thank the Majority Leader and Chairman Harkin for seeing this legislation through.



“I’m proud to represent one of the nation’s most important agricultural states, and so many family farms, which enrich and sustain not only Kentucky but the entire nation.



“Kentucky farmers are the best in the country.



“And the families who run them and the rest of the people of the Commonwealth will all benefit from this bill’s new investment in nutrition, renewable energy, and rural development programs, as well as additional incentives for conservation of natural resources.



“We’ve had some real accomplishments this week — some genuine results achieved through cooperation.



“And at the risk of repeating myself, I think there’s a lesson here: Unless we find a common-sense, bipartisan path forward on legislation, we all end up empty handed.



“But today, we will not have done that. And that, I think, is a good very thing.”



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