Remarks as prepared for delivery: This hearing will come to order. Since this Committee formally organized on January 21 of this year, the Committee has met 44 times. In keeping with my commitment to hold a top-to-bottom review of a full range of issues and policies within our jurisdiction, we have held 3 executive briefings on trade and conducted 33 hearings. And, stemming from what we have learn... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and committee members began Part I of a two-day hearing series to review the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organization and program administration. USDA officials from the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS), Natural Resources and Environment (NRE), and Research, Education and Economics (REE) serve... Read more »
By Chairman K. Michael Conaway When I became Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee in January of this year, I had one primary goal: to ensure that America’s farmers and ranchers have the policies in place that they need to feed, fuel, and clothe the nation while ensuring stability and consistency for farmers, ranchers, consumers, markets, and rural communities. After all, agriculture is the ... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a public hearing to conduct general oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack testified, taking questions from committee members on various programs and projects the department manages and executes. Members referenced reports by USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong (OIG) and the U.S. Government Accounta... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: I want to welcome the Secretary today and thank him for being here. He and his staff have worked hard to fulfill many of the Committee’s oversight requests this first seven months. We appreciate your cooperation and your staff working with my staff. It is Congress’ responsibility implicit in the U.S. Constitution and explicit in the House Rules to conduct oversigh... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell. In the letter, they expressed their concerns about the findings of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report, and called on the Secreta... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today is the final day for the public to comment on 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) has raised concerns that the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee greatly exceeded its scope and used potentially biased methodologies in developing recommendations for the Secretaries of United States Department of Agricultur... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) along with 70 Members of Congress, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL), sent a letter to Department of Health and Humans Services Secretary Burwell and Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack expressing concerns with the repo... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - At a hearing this morning of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Under Secretary for Agriculture Kevin Concannon indicated that the Department would grant a short-term 30 day comment period extension for the report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. “The 571 page report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee not only went way out of scope in de... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, Chairman of the Agriculture Committee K. Michael Conaway (TX-11), Nutrition Subcommittee Chairwoman Jackie Walorski (IN-2), and Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (NC-7) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell raising concerns about recommendations received from the Dietary... Read more »
