Today, Republican Leader of the House Agriculture Committee, Glenn "GT" Thompson, introduced H.R. 8069, the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act. The bill requires the Biden Administration to reverse its regulatory barriers to domestic agriculture production and provide immediate relief to families across the country. Congressman Thompson was joined by more than 20 original cosponsors, including Republican Leader of the Natural Resources Committee, Bruce Westerman, and Chairman of the Western Caucus, Dan Newhouse.
Following the introduction of the bill, Thompson released the following statement:
"The U.S. and the world face a disrupted global food system resulting in increased energy prices, fertilizer cost spikes and shortages, and worsening food scarcities in developing countries. We’re in a crisis moment, and we need concrete, immediate policy actions to help mitigate impacts both at home and abroad. American agriculture, if given the right tools and regulatory confidence, can serve a vital role in alleviating global food instability and mitigating costs for consumers.
"Despite these circumstances, the Biden Administration has neglected to take serious action to increase American production. In fact, since the war in Ukraine began, the Administration has continued to take nonsensical regulatory and policy actions that have created needless uncertainty for farmers, ranchers, and working families, and has further limited our ability to meet the food demands of our nation and the world.
"This bill will reverse many of the more harmful regulatory burdens spearheaded by this administration, address escalating input costs, and provide certainty to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, and other entities across our food and ag supply chains."
Specifically, the bill:
- Provides relief from EPA’s unprecedented actions related to crop protection tools
- Offers clarity related to WOTUS regulations
- Rescinds the SEC’s harmful proposed rule on climate-related disclosures
- Reinstates the 2020 NEPA streamlining
- Requires an economic analysis on the costs and benefits of GIPSA rules
H.R. 8069 follows a letter sent by Mr. Thompson, Republican Leader McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise, Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, and 92 other Republicans. In the letter, the Members write that President Biden "has neglected to take serious action to increase American production," and by doing so, has limited "American farmers' ability to meet global food demand." The letter can be read in its entirety here.
For bill text of H.R. 8069, click here.
For a summary, click here.
For a section-by-section, click here.
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