Martha Roby: Finalizing the Farm Bill
The farm bill is a critically important piece of legislation that sets agriculture policy in our country for about five years at a time, meaning every five years or so, it is Congress’ responsibility to craft and then ultimately pass a new – and hopefully improved – version to provide our farmers with the certainty they need. As you may know, over the summer, the House and Senate both passed our versions of the new farm bill, and I was proud to support our bill in the House. Now, it is up to select members of the House and Senate to conference and work out the differences between our two pieces of legislation. I am glad to report that this process is underway, and I’m hopeful the Conference Committee will agree on a final product soon, as the September 30th deadline for the expiration of the current law is quickly approaching. In Alabama’s Second District, agriculture is the largest employer, so we fully understand how very important it is that Congress get this policy right. Agriculture legislation doesn’t just affect the farmer who puts the seed in the ground. We’re also affecting the ones who sell the seed, who build the equipment to cultivate and harvest the crop, and those who help process the goods to their final products. In Congress, I consider it one of my top responsibilities to be a strong voice for our farmers and to represent their concerns. That’s why I’m pleased that in the House, our version of the farm bill addresses many of the issues that the hardworking farmers in AL-02 have told me they face, including reducing regulatory burdens, addressing invasive species like feral hogs, maintaining the crop insurance program, and more. In addition to these important priorities, the House’s version of the farm bill authorizes substantial funding for rural broadband and implements strict work requirements for food stamp recipients. Since the Senate is currently bound by a 60-vote threshold to pass legislation, their farm bill is quite different than our version in the House. That said, the final farm bill that ultimately comes out of the Conference Committee will very likely be a combination of both versions. No matter what differences exist between the two chambers, Alabama’s farmers and producers deserve a strong, consistent, improved, and on-time farm bill to plan for the future. I will remain actively engaged with my colleagues on the Conference Committee to deliver agriculture policy that gives fair treatment to our Alabama commodities, like cotton, peanuts, timber, poultry, soybeans, and catfish. We’ve come too far to not get this done. Our farmers produce the food and fiber that we all depend on, and it is our responsibility to move forward with strong, commonsense policy that enables them to do their jobs. I am looking forward to sending the final farm bill to the President’s desk, and I will keep you informed on developments. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
Martha Roby: Dismantling the regulatory regime
Throughout the eight long years of the Obama Administration, Alabamians suffered under an overly-empowered regulatory state that burdened hardworking men and women and their businesses with countless harmful federal regulations. This type of overreach was seen across the many federal agencies, but perhaps none more blatantly than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I am very pleased that over the last year and a half, our unified Republican government has worked to dismantle this Obama-era regulatory regime. I am glad to report that important progress has been made recently, as the Trump Administration’s EPA announced it intends to replace the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan with President Donald Trump’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. This is great news that represents an important step towards returning power to the states and further breaking down the regulatory state. When the Obama Administration first rolled out its so-called “Clean Power Plan,” they touted it as the “single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against global climate change.” What they didn’t say was that despite the significant increase it caused in energy bills, the “Clean Power Plan” actually didn’t do much to alter the impact of future climate change. Under this plan, the EPA implemented stringent regulations that limited carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, thus hiking rates and shutting down energy plants – especially in the coal industry. Of course, I think we can all agree that achieving more affordable, reliable, and safe energy is a priority, but adding more regulations and burdensome expenses to Americans are not solutions. That’s why the Trump Administration’s proposed ACE rule is so important. The rule would empower states with the flexibility to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing modern, reliable, and affordable energy for the American people. This is a far better solution than the Obama Administration’s “one-size-fits-all” approach that treated every state the same. It’s no secret that for eight years, the EPA and other federal agencies went beyond their rightful authority and pushed for unnecessary regulations that negatively impacted our economy, discouraged investment, and stifled job creation here in the United States. These agencies became known for “backdoor legislating” by frequently attempting to circumvent Congress to set policy. I am proud that over the last year and a half, Congress has worked to reverse course by passing several Congressional Review Acts, which is the process of striking rules and regulations left over from previous administrations. These actions, along with the steps taken by the Trump Administration, have already and will continue to unleash our nation’s economy. Among the many challenges we continue to face as a nation, I believe making America energy independent and not reliant on foreign nations must continue to be a priority. While I am pleased that energy exploration methods have improved over the years, we must continue to look for ways to secure America’s energy for future generations. I believe American innovation and our entrepreneurial spirit are the keys to meeting the energy challenges of the 21st Century. President Trump’s proposed ACE plan embraces this outlook and will give Alabama companies certainty to create jobs and prosper as we move forward. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
Martha Roby: A recap from the road
Each year, members of Congress take the month of August to spend time on the ground in their respective districts meeting with constituents and local leaders, visiting businesses and industries, and ultimately listening to the concerns of people at home. Having this opportunity to hear firsthand from the people in Alabama’s Second District is very important, and I believe it enables me to be a better representative of our priorities in Washington. It has been a busy month, and I wanted to take this opportunity to share an update on my travels in our district during this district work period. So far, I have spent time in Montgomery, Ozark, Hartford, Geneva, Millbrook, Troy, Dothan, and Fort Rucker. I met with Elmore County Commissioner Troy Stubbs in my Montgomery office to hear about some exciting projects happening in his community. I also had a productive meeting with David McCurdy, the Alabama Farm Service Agency Director. While in Ozark, I visited the recently-opened Wayne Farms feed mill. I had the opportunity to visit with leadership and employees to learn more about their operation. Wayne Farms is the sixth largest vertically integrated poultry producer in the country, with over $1.9 billion in annual sales. I am grateful for the economic impact they provide in our district. One afternoon, I visited Hartford where I enjoyed lunch downtown at Ketchum’s Restaurant. I also had the chance to drop by the Hartford Civic Club meeting with my friends State Representative Donnie Chesteen and Mayor Jeff Sorrells. Afterwards, I met with constituents at the Wiregrass Electric Cooperative to receive an update on their rural broadband project that they hope will deliver expanded highspeed broadband internet to rural communities in the Wiregrass. In Geneva, I enjoyed touring the newly-completed Geneva Career Tech Center, also known as G-Tech. I was very impressed by the students I met at this outstanding new facility. As I told the group there, I will always support measures to strengthen and improve the career tech programs throughout our district, state, and nation. I also had the opportunity to visit the Gift of Life Foundation’s office in Montgomery to meet with leadership and tour their facility. The Gift of Life’s work to strengthen and improve our local community is truly invaluable. I deeply appreciate the hardworking people, like those at Gift of Life, who strive to make a difference in the lives of others. In Millbrook, I spoke to the Millbrook-Coosada Kiwanis Club during their weekly meeting. I was glad to have this opportunity to give an update on the work we’re doing in Congress to make life better for all Americans. Even more importantly, I had the chance to hear firsthand from my constituents about the issues they’re facing. Afterwards, I stopped by the MOOseum at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association where I was given a tour and an update on the cattle industry in our state. During another trip to the Wiregrass, I visited Troy Cable to learn more about their upcoming projects and some of the issues they’ve recently been facing in their work. In Dothan, I spoke to the Wiregrass Chapter of the Associated General Contractors at their luncheon. We had a great discussion about efforts in Congress to revitalize our nation’s badly aging infrastructure. Last, but certainly not least, I stopped by Fort Rucker to tour the aeromedical research laboratory. I talked with many employees there about the importance of Army Aviation to our national security and the innovation happening on post here in the Second District. It’s been an exciting and informative August district work period so far. I deeply appreciate everyone who has taken the time to meet with me and share their ideas and concerns. I am looking forward to continuing my travels throughout Alabama’s Second District this month, and you can rest assured I will take everything I learn on the road back to Washington to better serve you. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
