Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 6800, Speaker Pelosi’s $3 trillion partisan wish list:

“In the midst of this global pandemic, the Trump Administration asked Congress for $50 billion to provide critical economic relief to farmers, ranchers, and rural America. Bipartisan legislation introduced in the House would provide $68 billion in funding to give USDA the tools it needs to ensure our food supply remains safe, abundant, and affordable. Out of a $3 trillion monstrosity that provides funding for every last idea on their socialist wish list, House Democrats could not find the money to meet either request for agriculture. 

“While I like some of the policy proposals contained in the agricultural relief provisions, many others need work. A bipartisan process would have allowed for a collaborative discussion, but unfortunately there was no process at all. The President and the Senate have both rightly said the House bill is dead on arrival. The House Democrats' proposal on agriculture is just too little and threatens to become too late unless Democrats start seeking bipartisan, common sense solutions to address the economic impacts of COVID-19. 

“Additionally, House Democrats forced through unprecedented rule changes tonight that will allow Members of Congress to cast votes for other Members who choose not to show up for work, and effectively authorizes a 'virtual House of Representatives' that jeopardizes the rights of the minority and poses grave security risks. Taken together, the $3 trillion bill and the rule changes illustrate the Democrats’ attitude towards COVID-19: ‘never let a crisis go to waste’. I shudder to think how Democrats would behave if they controlled all levers of government.”