Aderholt Questions Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack testified before the Subcommittee.

"I would like to thank Secretary Vilsack for appearing in front of the committee today. The Department of Agriculture is without question one of the most important Cabinet Departments. I appreciate the work that the Secretary and the men and women of the department do to ensure America remains the bread basket of the world.

"As we dig deeper into the 2016 budgetary process, I reminded Secretary Vilsack of the three goals I have set for this Subcommittee and how they directly relate to the USDA. The first goal is to make sure we are making the most of every tax dollar given to the Department. Secondly, because of continued tight budgets, we must make sure those precious tax dollars are getting to the most important programs and functions of the USDA. Lastly, we must work to ensure the continued vitality of U.S. agriculture, free and fair markets, and safe food and medicines.

"I also took the opportunity of Secretary Vilsack's appearance to ask pointed and direct questions about new dietary recommendations made last week by an advisory committee of supposed experts selected by the Administration. I believe these recommendations, which claim that red meat production is damaging to the environment and proposed taxes on certain foods, go far beyond the panel's purview.

"The Secretary has previously said that these advisory committees have ‘greater latitude to opine' than he does, but I made it clear to Secretary Vilsack that I along with our committee expect his final report to only include nutrient and dietary recommendations and will not include environmental opinions or extraneous factors."

In Washington Congressman Aderholt serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the powerful House Appropriations Committee; he is also a member of the Committee's Defense Subcommittee, the Committee's Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, and the Helsinki Commission.

For more information about Aderholt's work in Congress visit: www.aderholt.house.gov.

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