Tracey Mann

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the eleventh installment of my farm bill impact series, where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve Congress' awareness and support. We need robust biosecurity in America not only because we need to eat in order to survive, but also because strong American agriculture will help keep our country free and self-determining as a Nation. Manhattan, Kansas, the home of my alma mater, Kansas State University, is also home of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility or NBAF. This state-of-the-art 700,000-square foot facility will be a national asset that helps protect our Nation's agriculture against the threat and potential impact of serious animal diseases. Experts believe that 75 percent of new and emerging infectious animal diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans. NBAF will be home to the only maximum biocontainment space in the country, where USDA will conduct comprehensive research, develop vaccines and antivirals, and explore enhanced diagnostic and training capabilities. The United States Department of Agriculture is currently working with the Department of Homeland Security to bring NBAF online by December and to begin establishing partnerships between two key sectors heavily invested in animal health: academia and industry. Working with scientists and other industry professionals, NBAF will create new safety and security guidelines that will be critical for the prevention of future pandemics. Currently, scientists are conducting this very important research in New York at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, which is more than 60 years old. NBAF will replace this aging facility, create 400 local jobs for Kansans, generate over $100 million in total economic benefit for our State, and make Kansas the home of internationally recognized animal disease experts. NBAF isn't just an exciting development for Kansas, it also marks the future of biodefense research that will protect the United States and the rest of the world. The 2018 farm bill contained special authorization for biosecurity planning and response, which helped make NBAF possible. That version of the farm bill explicitly mentioned the coordination of ``tactical science activities . . . that protect the integrity, reliability, sustainability, and profitability of the food and agricultural system of the United States against biosecurity threats from pests, diseases, contaminants, and disasters.'' NBAF is a concrete example of the impact that we can have when we authorize the farm bill in careful and creative ways. During National Agriculture Month in March, I brought House Agriculture Committee Republican leader GT Thompson on an ag tour of Kansas, where I was proud to show him NBAF. The technology, scale, and international significance of the facility are truly second to none. Once fully operational in December, NBAF won't just support and protect agriculture; it will protect our country and the world. I will be back on the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within the bill that I believe Congress must understand and support to ensure that agriculture thrives in America. Importance of Livestock Indemnity

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to follow up on a speech that I gave in March about the importance of the farm bill emergency assistance programs like livestock indemnity. Agriculture is a risky business, and Mother Nature is a tough business partner. Over the past couple of weeks, Kansas producers have been losing cattle due to extreme temperatures, and qualified producers will be able to recoup some of their losses through the livestock indemnity program. Just like the flooding and wildfires we saw in Natoma and the surrounding areas last year, this is another example of how essential the farm bill emergency assistance programs are to our country's food supply and the people who produce it. Emergency programs like livestock indemnity are investments in the future of our country, and they help ensure that America remains food secure and self-determining as a Nation. Natural disasters, diseases, and weather emergencies happen, and we can't afford to let them cripple the business of the men and women who keep us fed, fueled, and clothed. That is why emergency assistance programs like livestock indemnity must remain strong in the 2023 farm bill.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great Kansan, Dale Moore, and to congratulate him on his retirement from a career of dedicated service to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers. Dale grew up on a livestock, hay, and grain farm in Copeland, KS, which lies in my district--the Big First. He went to Fort Hays State University, worked for Kansas Pork Producers Council, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Senator Pat Roberts. In 2001, President Bush appointed Dale to serve as the Chief of Staff at USDA, after which he served as the Legislative Director for the House Agriculture Committee. Most recently, Dale has been serving as Executive Vice President at the American Farm Bureau Federation, where his presence will be deeply missed. Dale has tirelessly advocated for agriculture for more than 40 years, and he never forgot his southwest Kansas roots or the values he learned there: hard work, others before self, and personal responsibility. I am grateful for Dale's leadership and service, and I offer him, his wife Faith, and their family my best wishes as they begin this new adventure. Congratulations to Dale.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Arrington for doing this tonight. I thank him for being such a champion and continuing to raise this issue, which is incredibly important to all of the Midwest, the West Coast, the East Coast, our entire country, vitally important. I enjoyed the trip to west Texas the other day, and, yes, they grow more cotton than we do in Kansas, without a doubt. As mentioned already, we are more than $30 trillion in debt. We have added almost $6 trillion in the last 2\1/2\ years, mostly in the name of COVID. We spent more money in the name of fighting COVID than we spent to win World War II, in inflation-adjusted dollars. Let that sink in. It is absolutely mind-blowing. The debt is now $92,000 per American. For every American, your share of the American debt is $92,000. For my wife and four kids, our family's share is $552,000. When you rack up this kind of debt, you really only have two choices. When you spend out of your means, you can pass it on in debt or you can raise taxes. I am really concerned with the potential tax increases that this out-of-control spending will lead to. That is why I rise today, because America is facing an economic crisis, and Democrat leaders are failing to provide the American people with any real solutions. Instead, they are just making things worse. Two aspects of this administration's budget proposal will cause irreparable harm to the economy and health of rural America. House Democrats, for their part, want to distract the Federal Reserve with social policy while inflation is at a 40-year high. We have to solve this problem by decreasing spending, not by increasing taxes. In America today, farmers, ranchers, and ag producers are coping with problems that this administration has caused, like a broken supply chain, rampant inflation, and labor shortages. Now, the administration is threatening the stepped-up basis again and seeking to impose new capital gains taxes on the people who feed, fuel, and clothe us all. When the assets of family farms transfer to the next generation, the Federal Government should not jump in and impose taxes on the unrealized gain of these assets to pay for this out-of-control spending. This principle is called the stepped-up basis. It has a long precedent in the tax code, and President Biden wants to dismantle it to pay for all of this spending. Adding insult to injury, the President's budget imposes capital gains taxes on farms that have been in families for more than 90 years. Think about that. In 1940, the average cost of Kansas farmland was $50 an acre. Now, irrigated land is over $4,000 per acre. Imagine the capital gains tax implications on that history of ownership. This proposal would impose hundreds of thousands of dollars in new capital gains taxes on farmers, killing most farms overnight. In March, I introduced a bipartisan resolution, along with 82 of my colleagues, that supports the preservation of the stepped-up basis and opposes any efforts to impose new taxes on family farms and small businesses. The President's budget is an attempt to extort money from rural Americans to pay for his party's Big Government, socialist spending spree. The farm-killer tax and the elimination of the stepped-up basis aren't game changers for American family farms; they are game enders. Congress owes unwavering support to the American farmers, ranchers, and ag producers. A few days ago, the Department of Labor released yet another report of record-breaking inflation for the month of May, the highest in over 40 years. House Democrats are responding this week by forcing a vote on a bill that would handcuff the Federal Reserve and force them to focus on social policy in addition to their statutory mandates of fighting high inflation and dealing with the unemployment rate, the missions for which the Federal Reserve was created. As if the economists at the Fed don't have enough to worry about, House Democrats now want to assign them the task of setting social policy. Unbelievable. President Biden and Washington Democrats are completely out of touch with the American people on this issue of inflation, and they are out of touch with the needs of rural Americans. They need to wake up to reality and get to work on providing real solutions to the problems that Americans are facing. Record spending and debt will lead to America's demise, and we cannot allow that to happen under our watch.

Mr. MANN. Which will lead to hungry Americans. When you are well fed, you have a lot of problems. When you are not well fed, you have one problem.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the tenth installment of my farm bill impact series where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve this Congress' awareness and support. Rural Development programs exist within the farm bill because the people of rural America, many of whom work to feed, fuel, and clothe us all, must remain connected to their families, local communities, and the world to do their jobs. Communities are made up of families, and families in rural areas need well-built affordable housing in order to thrive. USDA Rural Development's Single Family Housing Programs enable families and individuals to buy, build, or repair affordable homes located in rural America. Through these programs, qualifying individuals can finance a new home with no money down or get financial assistance to repair their wells, hookups to rural water, septic, plumbing, heating, air- conditioning, and electrical systems, insulation, and storm shelters or safe rooms. USDA Rural Development is also committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America, and every strong community needs strong local businesses. The Business and Industry Loan Guarantee program improves the economic health of rural communities by increasing access to business capital through loan guarantees, as well as enabling commercial lenders to provide affordable financing to rural businesses. In Healy, Kansas, the Sharp Brothers Seed Company has sold native grass seeds since 1958. They needed additional working capital to build up their inventory for a Conservation Reserve Program enrollment, so they used the USDA Rural Development Business and Industry program to secure a $5 million guaranteed loan for additional working capital. This program helped make their operation stronger than ever before, which is good for rural Kansas. Finally, strengthening rural broadband will help ensure that rural Americans, agricultural producers included, can keep pace with an increasingly tech-driven society and international marketplace. I believe that taxpayer dollars must be spent judiciously on existing broadband programs, and the goals set by the USDA and the FCC must be realistic. Last summer, the House Agriculture Committee advanced the Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act out of committee, which authorizes $43 billion toward critical infrastructure in rural communities. I also joined several of my House Republican colleagues and introduced legislation that would leverage the ReConnect program with some of the 2018 rural broadband investments in rural areas with little or no internet access. The ReConnect program is an example of a successful public-private partnership. Its matching grants help cover the cost of cable, implementation, and installment for broadband in rural communities. I support whatever directly benefits the resilient people of rural America, because they are the lifeblood of this country. That is why I support the Rural Development programs within the farm bill, and why I am bringing awareness to them now to ensure that these programs remain strong in the 2023 farm bill. I will be back to the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within the bill that I believe Congress must understand and support to ensure that agriculture and rural America thrives in this country. Congratulating Dale Moore on his Retirement

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great Kansan, Dale Moore, and to congratulate him on his retirement from a career of dedicated service to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers. Dale grew up on a livestock, hay, and grain farm in Copeland, Kansas, which lies in my district, the Big First of Kansas. He went to Fort Hays State University, worked for Kansas Pork Producers Council, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Senator Pat Roberts. In 2001, President Bush appointed Dale to serve as chief of staff at USDA, after which he served as legislative director for the House Agriculture Committee. Most recently, Dale has been serving as executive vice president at the American Farm Bureau Federation where his presence will be deeply missed. Dale has tirelessly advocated for agriculture for more than 40 years, and he never forgot his southwest Kansas roots or the values he learned there: hard work, others before self, and personal responsibility. I am grateful for Dale's leadership and service, and I offer him, his wife, Faith, and their entire family my best wishes as they begin this new adventure. Congratulations, Dale.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jan Lyons, a great Kansan and this year's winner of the 2022 Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence. Jan is certainly a deserving recipient of such an honor. As a young person, she got started raising her own angus cattle with a few of her dad's cows. In the 1970s, Jan and her husband Frank Lyons started the Lyons Ranch Angus cowherd south of Manhattan, Kansas, with some of the females originating from her father's herd. Today, Lyons Ranch consists of Jan and Frank and with their daughter Amy and her husband Karl, along with their sons with their wives. Jan's daughter Debbie also manages a cattle operation with her husband. Jan is the matriarch of a true family operation, which is why I'm delighted to honor her here today. Jan was the first woman president of the Kansas Angus Association. She was also the president of the Kansas Livestock Association and the president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. With all this on her plate, Jan has still found time to serve as a 4-H leader in Riley County where she teaches young people about the importance of agriculture. Jan has received a great deal of praise for being a trailblazing woman in agriculture. In response to this praise, Jan once said, ``Women have always been in agriculture--they just haven't always been the spokespeople. I would like to think that I am just a good rancher and good leader--not a good woman rancher.'' Well Jan, you are a great rancher and an outstanding leader. I congratulate Jan on her well-deserved award, and thank her for all her hard work on behalf of Kansas agriculture.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the eighth installment of my farm bill impact series, where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve Congress' awareness and support. The food aid programs within the farm bill not only support the nutrition of millions of Americans struggling with hunger, but they also help to stop global conflicts before they start. Kansas is the Wheat State, and wheat is the number one commodity used in U.S. donations for international food aid. If you combine all the aid destinations, they amount to a top 10 market for U.S. wheat. The last two farm bills have granted USAID flexibility in implementing aid programs, which has resulted in the U.S. purchasing from other countries more than half of the total food we give out. That is a noble thing to use our resources to help hungry people overseas, but our government should prioritize the commodities of American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers as we carry out this good work abroad. International food assistance programs work alongside legislation to help stabilize countries ravaged by famine and war, reduce terrorism, and give people an alternative from fleeing their homeland just to find food. For instance, I introduced a resolution condemning and prohibiting the use of hunger as a weapon, which some bad actors do in countries suffering from war and natural disasters. Food aid programs work alongside the legislation to avert food shortages in such countries, making it more difficult for anyone to use hunger as a weapon in the first place. The farm bill has some excellent programs for international food assistance that I believe should be reauthorized. The Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust is a special authority in the 2018 farm bill that allows USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance to respond to unanticipated food crises abroad. I just sent a bipartisan letter earlier this month asking the President to release BEHT. Food for Peace is another great program through which our country responds to humanitarian crises and food security problems globally. The idea for this program actually came from a meeting of the Southwest Kansas Farm Bureau and first appeared in 1954 when President Eisenhower signed the Agriculture Trade Development and Assistance Act into law. Today, USDA and USAID partner with organizations to implement Food for Peace and other food aid programs, stopping global conflicts from escalating into humanitarian disasters. The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, named in part for Kansas' own Bob Dole, helps support education, child development, and food security in low-income, food-deficit countries around the globe. The program provides for the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities, as well as financial and technical assistance to support school meal programs as well as maternal and child nutrition programs. I supported this program in fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023 appropriations because it has a proven track record for reducing hunger, improving literacy in children, and helping provide nutrition for pregnant and nursing mothers, infants, and preschoolers. Earlier this month, Nicole Berg, president of the National Association of Wheat Growers, spoke to the House Agriculture Committee's Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee. In her testimony, she gave us her eyewitness account, from her 2019 trip to Kenya and Tanzania, of how international food assistance helps those people in most need. She visited refugee camps where the World Food Programme is feeding 98 percent of the 200,000 people there who hail from nine countries. She said that witnessing U.S. food shipments saving lives firsthand changed her life. I want to make sure that, going forward, we use U.S. commodities while we carry out this good work abroad. If America is going to conduct international food assistance in an effective way, the Biden administration is going to have to get a grip on the agricultural impact of its trade and foreign policies. Sadly, on an international scale, the Biden administration is turning a blind eye to agriculture. Russia's assault on Ukraine is one of the most horrifying humanitarian crises in recent memory, and it has grave food security implications for Europe. Ukraine is known as the breadbasket of Europe. It is the third- largest grain exporter in the world. You would think this administration would want a point person to develop a strategy for addressing this looming problem, but President Biden still hasn't appointed either a USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs or a Chief Agricultural Negotiator for USTR. The Biden administration has also sat back and done nothing to hold China accountable for stiffing American farmers out of $16 billion in the Phase One trade deal, and the President left agriculture out of his Indo-Pacific strategy entirely. I, along with American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers, am appalled at this shortsightedness. You cannot take food for granted, which is why the Biden administration needs to wake up and why Congress must think carefully about the reauthorization of the international food assistance programs in the farm bill. I will be back on the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series. America's farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers are American heroes who are bearing the responsibility of feeding hungry people around the world. Their efforts deserve the full support of Congress because the food security and, therefore, the national security of America hangs in the balance.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Kansan, Dennis Jones, on the occasion of his retirement. In 1982, Dennis moved from Colorado to Kansas to begin working at the Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Holcomb. He started out as an hourly employee on the harvest floor and worked his way up. Soon after proving himself to be knowledgeable and committed to his job, he moved up to the role of department head. Dennis spent time at the Amarillo plant, learning about different departments and operations within the business, after which he came back to Holcomb in 2006. He quickly became the new operations manager and then moved up again to his current role as complex plant manager. I love Dennis' story because it exemplifies hard work, tenacity, looking for open doors, and staying committed to a calling that requires skill, intuition, attention to detail, and relationship- building. Dennis is the type of guy that embodies grit, agriculture, and conservative Kansas values. On his last day at Tyson, Dennis plans to return his computer in the morning and then spend the rest of the day with the hourly employees on the harvest floor. This is a great man whose career and legacy I am proud to honor here today. Congratulations on your retirement, Dennis.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the memory of Bob Foote, a tremendous Kansan who passed away on March 25th. Bob was a man of many talents. He built one of the largest cattle operations in America, feeding 550,000 head a year and employing 400. He and his wife Gail also built an amazing family who will carry on his legacy and lead the Foote Cattle Company into the future. Bob had tenacity, grit, confidence, and he wasn't afraid to embrace an aggressive approach to business. His motto was ``Get It''--which he would say to remind those around him to never give up and keep pushing forward. Bob was a staunch conservative who could often be found giving one of his trademark ``Bob Foote lectures'' on politics. He was a true patriot, and most importantly, now that he has gone on to heaven, he was a man of great faith. From the farm and headquarters in eastern Kansas, to ranchland in the Flint Hills, to feed yards in Western Kansas. I am hard pressed to think of any Ag producer who had such an impact on the entirety of Kansas agriculture. Whether he was buying cattle or sharing his faith and work ethic with his grandchildren, Bob believed that he should use the talents that God gave him to be the best man he could be. He is now able to reunite with his beloved Colleen and together watch over his legacy--the Foote Cattle Company--and gaze proudly on his spouse Gail and sons Scott, Brad, and Greg as they continue to lead the industry and Kansas Agriculture forward. May Bob Foote rest in peace.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to deliver the next installment of my farm bill impact series--the state of agriculture. We are at the end of the first quarter. National Agriculture Month just ended, and as Congress prepares to authorize the farm bill, we should examine the state of agriculture. Agriculture is not just a business; it is a rich heritage and a lifestyle. Sadly, the distance from farm to fork has never been greater, and there are fewer legislators who have experience on the farm. Since Congress will reauthorize the farm bill in 2023, I am standing here today to remind Congress that for this legislation to be effective in ensuring the food security, and, therefore, the national security, of our Nation, we need to get in the field and consider the perspectives of farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers. Last month, House Agriculture Committee Republican leader G.T. Thompson and I did just that on a tour of my district. We went to farms; we toured facilities; we ate at dinner tables; and we listened. We did it because hearing from producers is crucial to legislating well on matters that concern their livelihoods. Today, I will report to Congress on what they have been telling me about the economic, human, and natural resources surrounding their work, and what Kansas producers believe to be the state of agriculture. A farmer or rancher's economic health depends on things like cash and assets on hand, protections against the government taxing the farm at transfer or death, and well-crafted farm bill programs like crop insurance. You don't have to look far to know that producers are facing the highest input prices in 40 years. Fertilizer is four to five times higher than it was at this time last year, if you can even get it. Equipment is back-ordered for 6 to 8 months. Parts are at least double the cost. On our trip, Republican leader Thompson and I hosted a roundtable with Kansas commodity groups, and all of them told me that if we cannot get input prices and inflation under control, today's farm and tomorrow's crop will be in a much worse condition at this time next year. The day-to-day trials of operating a successful farm, ranch, or agribusiness are challenging enough without worrying about these skyrocketing prices. Now, President Biden's budget proposal threatens the stepped-up basis and imposes capital gains taxes on farms or ranches that have been held in the family for 90 years or more. This new farm-killer tax would inflict hundreds of thousands of dollars in new capital gains taxes on hardworking Americans and jeopardize family- owned businesses. The one saving grace for most farmers is that the 2018 farm bill protected and strengthened their opportunity to utilize crop insurance programs, even when conditions are dire. Largely, farmers want to keep crop insurance in place in the 2023 farm bill. One Kansas farmer even told us that Congress needs to ``use a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, as we refine crop insurance.'' Agriculture's human resources include labor on the farm and employees at the local Farm Service Agency office. On the farm, folks are hurting for workers. We visited one of the first feed yards in the State, and the family owners haven't seen a labor shortage with looming retirements this bad since before the feed yard's inception in 1951. Another co-op owner told us their workforce is down 10 percent with more than 70 open positions. At the local USDA offices, where Kansans go if they need help from the government, staff is also short. Traditionally, there has been a fully staffed USDA office in every county in America, but President Biden's policies have kept employees at home and turned those offices mostly all virtual. I met with farmers who are at a complete loss trying to navigate convoluted government websites instead of talking face-to-face with USDA employees. There is a workforce shortage in every industry, and agriculture is no exception. From the farm to government services for the farm, agriculture has been experiencing record employee turnover due to unnecessary vaccine mandates, enhanced unemployment benefits, and more. And in terms of natural resources, we all know America's farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists. America has vast amounts of natural resources available to its stewards. The biggest threat to agriculture's natural resources isn't availability or the weather, but Federal Government overreach. Late last year, President Biden withdrew the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which sought to undo the harm caused by the Waters of the United States rule from 2015, through which the Federal Government aimed to control nearly all bodies of water, regardless of their size or connection to larger waterways. Because of this mess, farmers and ranchers have had to conduct their business under three different definitions of what amounts to ``water'' in just 6 years. President Biden has also halted drilling on Federal lands and halted construction on the Keystone XL pipeline, exacerbating the price and shortage of American-made fuel. On our trip, Republican leader Thompson and I saw a live oil well operated by a company that produced 60,000 barrels of oil last October from 363 active wells, and right next door, we saw an ethanol plant ready to supply America with dependable liquid fuel if President Biden would just ditch his unrealistic and ill-timed electric vehicle push. You can't plow with a Prius. While I recognize things like protections against the harmful Waters of the U.S. rulings and oil and gas drilling do not live within the confines of the next farm bill, I also recognize that the protections and proper use of America's resources are vital to the strength of American food and agriculture. The state of agriculture is strong because of the strength of American farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers. Congress has the responsibility to get them the resources they need to protect the resources they have to feed, fuel, and clothe the world. We must do our job.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the memory of Bob Foote, a tremendous Kansan who passed away on March 25. Bob was a man of many talents. He built one of the largest cattle operations in America, feeding 550,000 head a year and employing 400. He and his was wife, Gail, also built an amazing family who will carry on his legacy and lead Foote Cattle Company into the future. Bob had tenacity, grit, and confidence. He wasn't afraid to embrace an aggressive approach to business. His motto was ``Get It,'' which he would say to remind those around him to never give up and keep pushing forward. Bob was a staunch conservative who would often be found giving one of his trademark Bob Foote lectures on politics. He was a true patriot. Most importantly, now that he has gone into Heaven, he was a man of great faith. From the farm and headquarters in eastern Kansas to ranchland in the Flint Hills and feed yards in western Kansas, I am hard-pressed to think of any ag producer who had such an impact on Kansas agriculture. Whether he was buying cattle or sharing his faith and work ethic with his grandchildren, Bob believed that he should use the talents that God gave him to be the best man that he could possibly be. He is now able to reunite with his beloved Colleen and, together, watch over his legacy, the Foote Cattle Company, and gaze proudly on his beloved Gail and his sons, Scott, Brad, and Greg, as they continue to lead the industry and Kansas agriculture forward. Bob Foote, may you rest in peace.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their marks and submit extraneous material on this Special Order.

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to host this Special Order during National Agriculture Month on the strength of American agriculture. I am inspired by the American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers who feed, fuel, and clothe not only this country but the entire world. I grew up on a farm south of Quinter, Kansas, that my parents and brother still operate. Growing up there meant that I spent thousands of hours on a tractor working in fields and on horseback doctoring sick cattle in the family feed yard. Those hours turned into love of country and lessons about the values of hard work, creativity, flexibility, and putting others before ourselves. My district, the Big First of Kansas, is home to more than 60,000 farms where farmers, ranchers, feedlot managers, ethanol producers, ag lenders, and agribusiness owners ensure that America remains the most food-secure country in the world. As Congress becomes increasingly urban, the distance from farm to fork has never been greater, and since America's national security depends in large part on our food security, we need strong voices for agriculture in this Congress, which is why I am honored to serve on the House Agriculture Committee and to host this Special Order tonight. If Congress is going to legislate effectively on matters relating to agriculture, Congress must first understand the agricultural perspective in America. There is something about being in the middle of the country where farmers pray for rain, parents drive 30 miles both ways just to take their kids to school, and communities shrink and grow with oil and gas prices that gives you a greater perspective. House Agriculture Committee Republican leader GT Thompson and I just returned from a trip to my district. While there, we saw an American heartland infused with both the innovative energy that creates new ideas and the love of tradition that respects tried-and-true methods. We saw the USDA National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility that will take American agriculture into the future, and we met with the family who owns and operates Brookover Feed Yards, one of the first feedlots in Kansas. We also saw oil production, ag lending, ethanol production, wheat innovation, and the next generation of leaders in food and agriculture at Kansas State University. I look forward to celebrating the culmination of National Agriculture Month with my colleagues here tonight as we celebrate the force, passion, and strength of American agriculture. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson), a descendant of dairy farmers, a champion of rural development, my friend who joined me just last week on an agriculture tour of my district in Kansas, and the Republican leader of the House Agriculture Committee.

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for joining us tonight. And as you were reading that, I thought about my family, my grandparents and many producers all over America that that describes. Thank you very much for sharing that. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller), who runs a grain and livestock farm with her husband and who has raised her children to be the 4th generation of farmers on her family farm in Illinois.

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Thompson for being here tonight and sharing with us thoughts about Pennsylvania agriculture. It is very important to this country. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse), who is a third-generation family farmer and good friend. I always appreciate his perspectives of Washington State agriculture and what he brings to this body.

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman. His leadership in agriculture, his leadership for the Western Caucus are very, very important, and I thank him for joining us tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), a staunch defender of farmers in his district and a fellow Congressional FFA Caucus member.

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Illinois for joining us tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao), who represents our Nation's largest dairy district. He and his family operate a dairy farm; lives at the dairy.

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for joining us tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ellzey), the pride of Levelland, Texas, who farmed and ranched in the Texas Panhandle before he came to Congress.

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for joining us, and representing Texas in such a legacy of agriculture in a great State. Mr. Speaker, I thank everyone who spoke today for helping Congress understand an agricultural perspective. As Dwight Eisenhower--who was from my State, from my district--said, Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you are a thousand miles away from a cornfield. Today, it felt like the Members who spoke on this floor brought the farm a little closer to Capitol Hill, and for that, I thank them. Congress uses the reauthorization of the farm bill every 5 years to determine the nature of our support for the men and women who feed, fuel, and clothe the world. America's food security is so important because it determines the strength of our national security. We will never be a secure country if we have to rely on other countries to feed ourselves. Because of the tenacity of the American farmer, we are the most food secure country in the world, and I will do everything in my power to keep it that way. As Congress determines how we will support farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers in the 2023 farm bill, I encourage Members to imagine how different their lives would be without healthy American agriculture. From the food on our tables to the fuel in our cars to the fibers in our clothing to the roofs over our head, agriculture is all around us, and we tend to take it for granted. Well, it isn't granted. It is gifted. Every day American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers give us the gift of our quality of life in this country. Our comforts come from the sweat of their brows. The least this Congress can do is support their efforts wholeheartedly with a strong thoughtful 2023 farm bill and related legislation. The future of America depends on it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the sixth installment of my farm bill impact series, where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve Congress' awareness and support. For this legislation to be effective, it must support the efforts of both today's farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers, as well as those of the next generation. I had planned to get up on the floor today to talk about how America's hope for food security in the future lies on the shoulders of young Americans who are voluntarily bearing the burden of feeding, fueling, and clothing the world. I was going to talk about all the great programs and organizations that we have in this country for young people who are interested in agriculture. I was going to talk about the new Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program through USDA, and the importance of preserving the stepped-up basis in the Tax Code to ensure that family farms in America don't get taxed out of existence. Then President Biden's disastrous budget came out earlier this week. President Biden threatens the stepped-up basis yet again as we know it in the budget that he just released. If it becomes law, the food security and, therefore, national security of America hangs in the balance. Here is why the stepped-up basis exists and why it is so important. Let's say you are a young person working on your family's farm, and you are slowly taking on responsibility and risk. You work for your parents in the operation until the time comes for you to inherit the land, equipment, and livestock. When that happens, the Federal Government should not jump in and impose taxes on the unrealized gain of your inherited land and assets. This principle is called the stepped-up basis, which has long been precedent in the Tax Code. The President's budget imposes new capital gains taxes at death, which will kill family farms. This is appalling. America is trying to recover from a pandemic, and farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers are struggling to survive as they cope with crises that this administration has caused, like the broken supply chain and rampant inflation. And now this administration wants to impose new taxes on these people? And the President didn't stop there. His budget also includes a new capital gains tax that I am going to call the farm killer tax. In Biden's budget, unbelievably, there is a proposal to impose capital gains taxes on farms that have been in families for over 90 years. Think about that. In 1940, the average cost of Kansas farmland was $50 per acre. Now, irrigated land is over $4,000 per acre. Imagine the capital gains tax implications in that history of ownership. This proposal would impose hundreds of thousands of dollars in new capital gains taxes on farmers, killing their businesses overnight. Again, I was going to stand here today and talk about how important it is for Congress to support farmers, particularly the men and women who operate family-owned-and-operated multi-generational family farms. I was going to talk about how, in the name of supporting America's incredible producers, Congress needs to think carefully and critically about the programs we reauthorize in the 2023 farm bill. I didn't expect that I would see the farm killer tax in the budget this week. This new tax is not a game-changer, it is a game-ender for thousands of family farms. I am, frankly, in disbelief. Farming is a multi-generational calling. Farmers, ranchers, and ag producers are my family and friends. They are America's heroes, and the ideas in this budget, threatening the stepped-up basis and imposing the new farm killer tax, are going to destroy the livelihoods of many in agriculture and make our country less secure. The President needs to wake up to reality. Farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers have earned our support, and his budget ideas are the opposite of that. They are a gut punch to the people who feed, fuel, and clothe this Nation. This week, I am introducing a bipartisan resolution, along with 66 of my colleagues, that supports the preservation of the stepped-up basis, opposes any efforts to impose new taxes on family farms and small businesses, and recognizes the importance of generational transfers of farm and small business operations. Again, this is something I was going to do anyway because of how important preserving the stepped-up basis is. Today, given Biden's disastrous budget, this message is more important. If we want to invest in the future of our country, which I think we can all agree that we do, we need to invest in the next generation of America's farmers, ranchers, and ag producers. I will be back on the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within the bill that Congress must understand and support to ensure that agriculture thrives in America. Hopefully, when I am standing here to speak next time, I won't have to address any more ideas that this administration may have had for destroying the livelihoods of America's farmers, ranchers, and ag producers. We must kill Biden's farm killer tax.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the fifth installment of my farm bill impact series where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve Congress' awareness and support. If America is going to thrive, the people who feed, fuel, and clothe America must thrive. The farm bill strengthens our country's national security because it strengthens our food security by supporting the tireless efforts of farmers, ranchers, and our agricultural producers. Agriculture is a risky business, and Mother Nature can be a tough business partner. Almost no other American industry faces such volatility from forces like pests, disease, wind, drought, and fires like the ones in Reno County, Kansas, and Paradise, Kansas, over the last few months. Natural disasters are make-or-break situations for the people who ensure that America remains the most food secure country in the world. That is why emergency programs within the farm bill are so critical. The Livestock Indemnity Program and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish provide benefits to producers for livestock deaths caused by disease and adverse weather. A veterinarian from Ashland, Kansas, told me that during the Starbuck fire back in 2017, to which he was an emergency responder, Clark County, Kansas, alone lost 6,000 to 9,000 head of cattle right at the beginning of calving season. One producer suffered $1.8 million in cattle losses during this disaster. The Livestock Indemnity Program helped producers who lost cattle in this disaster put their livelihoods back together. However, LIP only covered cattle mortality at the time, not severely injured cattle. Rather than watch badly injured cattle get euthanized just to trigger LIP program payments, this veterinarian helped make changes to the program that are still in place today which provide better protection for producers and their livestock. These programs, and many more, are investments in the future of our country, and they must remain strong in the 2023 farm bill if America is going to remain food secure and self-determining as a Nation. Natural disasters, diseases, and weather emergencies, unfortunately, do happen, and America cannot afford to have these factors cripple the businesses of the men and women who keep us fed, fueled, and clothed. That is why we need to think carefully and critically about the degrees to which we support emergency programs within the 2023 farm bill. I will be back on the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within the bill that Congress must understand and support to ensure that agriculture thrives in America.

Mr. MANN

Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the next installment of my farm bill impact series, where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve Congress' awareness and support. If America is going to thrive, then the people who feed, fuel, and clothe America must thrive, and the farm bill contains certain programs that have been critical to the success of agricultural producers in my district and the energy independence of our country. Every committee in this Congress should work to develop a sound, 21st century energy policy, one that embraces American energy independence, one that employs an all-of-the-above strategy embracing both fossil fuels and biofuels, and one that is not a mandated approach from the government. For example, the House Energy and Commerce Committee should continue to pressure the Biden administration to reapprove the Keystone XL pipeline while it also considers the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act, and the House Agriculture Committee should weigh in on the enforcement of the renewable fuel standard while it also includes strong biofuels language in the next farm bill. Energy policy has an impact on every American and cannot be crafted in a vacuum. When it comes to the farm bill, we know that we can strengthen our access to reliable, affordable, and efficient energy, like biofuels. The Rural Energy For America Program provides financial assistance to promote energy independence and efficiency and renewable energy development for agricultural producers and rural small businesses. Kansas Ethanol LLC, based in Lyons, Kansas, has utilized the REAP program twice. The first time they used it, they were able to expand their facility and went from producing 65 million gallons of ethanol to 80 million gallons of ethanol per year. The second time, the program helped them put in the infrastructure to produce their own electricity. They now produce their own heat and power through a gas turbine for their facility and export some power to the grid. As Kansas produces nearly 500 million gallons of ethanol each year, programs like the Biodiesel Fuel Education Program and the Biomass Crop Assistance Program are important for Kansas and for the rest of this country. The Biodiesel Fuel Education Program awards competitive grants to nonprofit organizations and institutes of higher education that educate the public, as well as government and private entities, about the benefits of biodiesel fuel use. The Biomass Crop Assistance Program supports the establishment and production of eligible crops for conversion to bioenergy and assists agricultural landowners and operators with the collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of eligible material for use in a biomass conversion facility. These programs, and many more, are investments in the future of our country, and they must remain strong in the 2023 farm bill if America is going to be energy independent. That is why the farm bill is so important. It is not just about food and farming. It is about ensuring the security and self-determination of our country. We must support not only the efforts of farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers who aim to keep us food-secure, but also the efforts of the renewable energy pioneers in our country, like Kansas corn growers and Kansas sorghum growers who aim to keep us energy independent. I will be back on the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within the bill that I believe Congress must understand and support to ensure that agriculture thrives in America.