WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn-3) delivered her first set of opening remarks as ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies today. Below is the statement, as prepared for delivery.

“Thank you, Mister Chairman. It is a pleasure to join you in my first Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing in this new capacity. I want to both thank you and my predecessor, Congresswoman Kaptur, for her many years of leadership. She has served on this subcommittee since 1991 and has been ranking member since 1997. It is an honor to follow in her footsteps.

“And I look forward to working with you, Mr. Chairman, as we begin what I believe will be a productive working relationship. Having been a member of this subcommittee for nine years, I have developed a great respect for you, and know that both of us take our obligations to this institution very seriously. We will work on a great many issues of importance in the coming months. And while we will no doubt have our differences, I believe we can and will work together to do what is best for the American people.

“I want to take this opportunity to extend my welcome and congratulations to Secretary Johanns as well. I am sure you will find that, although we may occasionally differ on one issue or another, we care about one thing - the health and welfare of our agriculture system and the safety and economic value of the products it delivers to the U.S. consumer and the world. I look forward to working with you as you go forward with your critical responsibilities.

“I am sure some of you might be thinking – what does someone from New Haven, Connecticut know about agriculture policy? A fair question. But I have always believed that the issues overseen by this subcommittee are core responsibilities of the Federal government – and this is the only subcommittee where farm policy, nutrition programs, food safety, drug regulation, and public health, come together.

“Some might be surprised to learn that I have nearly 400 farms in my district, ranging from dairy farms to horticulture and aquaculture to orchards and vegetable cultivation. In addition to working on those issues, I am also interested in determining how we can best secure our food supply – something every American has a stake in. My duties as co-chair and founder of the bipartisan Food Safety Caucus have informed my understanding of the importance of responsibilities of USDA and FDA alike, giving me opportunities to visit slaughter plants and feed lots across the country. I see food safety as a public health issue – and I look forward to finding ways that can mutually benefit the health of our people, our farms and our food supply.

“In addition, urban areas like New Haven rely on feeding programs for women, infants and children, for schools, and for seniors and the disabled living on the edge of poverty. Ensuring that these programs are both funded and operated efficiently is, in my opinion, among the very serious obligations of government – obligations we are charged in this subcommittee with overseeing.

“As such, it is my belief that the budget we discuss today is more than a list of programs and funding levels. It is a statement of values, principles and priorities – a moral document. And so when we discuss this budget and how it allocates $16.6 billion for USDA—a decrease overall of 2.5 percent—I believe we must think of it in those terms. We should remember that the farm programs and international trade promotion and advocacy that help our farmers across the country and sell our products have profound implications on our nation’s overall economy and our quality of life – that research programs at USDA are critical to our efforts to protect our agriculture products, our national herd and our public health.

“For that reason, I remain concerned about funding in this budget for agencies like Rural Development where zeroes seem to reign, the Animal Plant Health Inspection and Food Safety and Inspection Services where a user fee proposal causes me to wonder about the dedication of the department to this critical function. While I certainly believe that the United States has some of the safest food in the world, it will not continue to improve in quality and safety if we are dependent on user fees by industry for a reliable source of funding. These are very important regulatory bodies that we cannot afford to inadequately fund.

“In addition, I know that over 140 groups representing everyone from farmers to conservation and wildlife advocates are very concerned about the Administration’s proposal to open a debate about issues settled in the Farm Bill. I believe that we must carefully evaluate these proposals and their funding implications as we go forward.

“I believe we would also do well to remember—and I say this as a Democrat—that it is not all about increased funding. As pleased as I am that this budget increases funding for programs like the Food Stamp and the Women, Children and Infants programs, I cannot help but consider that these increases are only necessary because of the skyrocketing number of needy families. As a member of the Budget Committee as well, that tells me that we must be failing elsewhere.

“And so, I am delighted to have this opportunity to work on these and other issues – issues such as rural development, infrastructure maintenance, environmental preservation, and so many others that contribute to our everyday lives. I look forward to a productive, engaging working relationship with you, Mr. Chairman, and all the members of this subcommittee.

“And with that, Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield my time. Thank you.”