WATCHING THAT FIRST 20 MINUTES OR SO, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE
THOUGHT THINGS GET DONE IN
CONGRESS.
CONGRESS. BUT WE’RE BACK WITH A PIECE
OF -- A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH ON A
CRITICAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
LAWMAKERS HAVE FINALLY AGREED
OPEN AON
OPEN AON A MAMMOTH NEW FARM BILL.
HELPS FARMERS AFFORD CROP
INSURANCE AND PROMOTES LOCAL
FARMERS MARKETS.
FARMERS MARKETS. IN ADDITION IT PROVIDES FUNDS TO
FIGHT THE OPOID CRISIS IN RULE
COMMUNITIES.
COMMUNITIES. FORESTRY MANAGEMENT.
FORESTRY MANAGEMENT. IT FUNDS THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
USED BY ABOUT 40 MILLION
AMERICAN FAMILIES.
AMERICAN FAMILIES. HERE TO TALK -- WELL, HERE’S
PRESIDENT TRUMP TALKING ABOUT IT
IN THE LAST HOUR.
>> THE FARM BILL IS MOVING ALONG
NICELY.
NICELY. THEY’LL BE VOTING PRETTY CLOSE.
WE THINK THE FARM BILL’S IN VERY
GOOD SHAPE.
GOOD SHAPE. A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING
WITH IT.
WITH IT. OUR FARMERS ARE WELL TAKEN CARE
OF.
OF. AGAIN, THAT WILL BE QUITE
BIPARTISAN AND WILL HAPPEN
PRETTY SOON.
PRETTY SOON. >> JOINING ME LIVE NOW IS
REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN HOEVEN
OF NORTH DAKOTA.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
>> YOU WORKED ON THIS BILL.
YOU STATE IS A LEADING FARMING
AND RANCHING STATE.
LOOK, FARMERS OFTEN GET SOME
SUBSIDIES OUT OF THE FARM BILL,
BETWEEN $5 BILLION AND $8
BILLION DEPENDING ON THE YEAR.
BIGGER THIS TIME AROUND BECAUSE
A NUMBER OF THESE FARMERS HAVE
BEEN HURT BY TARIFFS AND TRADE
WARS AROUND THE WORLD.
TELL ME SPECIFICALLY HOW THIS
BILL HELPS FARMERS WHO HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED.
AFFECTED. >> FIRST THING IMPORTANT TO
NOTE, GOOD FARM BILL IS GOOD FOR
EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN BECAUSE WE
HAVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY, LOWEST
COST FOOD SUPPLY IN THE WORLD
THANKS TO OUR FARMERS AND
RANCHERS.
RANCHERS. IT REALLY BENEFITS EVERY
AMERICAN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHAT WE DID IS WE BUILT ON THE
STRENGTHS IN THE CURRENT FARM
BILL, MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
IT’S A GOOD BILL FOR FARMERS AND
RANCHERS.
RANCHERS. >> ONE OF THE CRITICISMS I THINK
A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT
FARMERS REQUIRE THESE SUBSIDIES,
THEY OPERATE ON VERY THIN
MARGINS.
MARGINS. WHEN THERE’S A TRADE WAR GOING
ON, THERE’S SOME FARMERS WHO ARE
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOLD ON
WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN
SUBSIDIES.
SUBSIDIES. THERE’S SOMETHING IN THIS BILL
THAT SORT OF EXPANDS THE
SUBSIDIES THAT PEOPLE CAN GET TO
SLIGHTLY DISTANT FAMILY MEMBERS,
COUSINS, NEPHEWS AND NIECES.
WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?
>> REALLY, AGAIN, STRENGTHENING
AND HELPING THE FAMILY FARM.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE PRETTY
SOPHISTICATED OPERATIONS.
SOPHISTICATED OPERATIONS. WE TALKED ABOUT A FAMILY FARM.
THEY HAVE TO BE TO BE
COMPETITIVE.
COMPETITIVE. SO JUST ADDED SOME OF THE FAMILY
MEMBERS AS PART OF A FAMILY
UNIT.
UNIT. >> THIS BILL THAT PASSED LOOKS A
LOT MORE LIKE THE SENATE BILL
THAN THE HOUSE BILL.
WHAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON’T REALIZE IS SO MUCH OF THE
MONEY IN A FARM BILL IS FOR
SNAP, THE SUPPLEMENTARY
NUTRITION PROGRAM.
NUTRITION PROGRAM. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH SNAP NOT
GETTING CUT IN THIS BILL AND
THAT’S OKAY, YOU’RE GOING TO
VOTE FOR IT?
>> YES, IT’S NOT GETTING CUT.
WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, ENFORCING
WORK REQUIREMENTS SO PEOPLE ABLE
TO WORK ARE EITHER GETTING
TRAINING OR WORKING.
THERE WERE DIFFERENT VERSIONS IN
THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
WE BROUGHT IN THE USDA.
SONNY PERDUE, A LOT OF CREDIT.
HE IS HELPING US ENFORCE THOSE
WORK REQUIREMENTS IN A WAY THAT
WAS ABLE TO BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. >> SENATOR, I WANT TO ASK YOU,
BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
BILL.
BILL. THE FARM BILL SHOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO EVERY AMERICAN.
I THINK TOO MANY OF US IN THE
CITIES DON’T REALLY PAY
ATTENTION TO WHERE OUR FOOD
COMES FROM.
COMES FROM. SO THAT’S GREAT.
THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE AFTER MONTHS
OF STRUGGLING OF A BILL THAT’S
GOING FORWARD AS THE PRESIDENT
SAID, WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
THE AG SECRETARY SUPPORTS IT.
IT STANDS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO
WHAT WE JUST WATCHED AT THE TOP
OF OUR SHOW THAT WENT ON IN THE
OVAL OFFICE.
OVAL OFFICE. GIVE ME YOUR CHARACTERIZATION OF
THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS IN
CONGRESS.
CONGRESS. AND HOW YOU’RE GOING TO SUCCEED
IN GETTING BILLS DONE.
>> WELL, WE’VE GOT TO FIND WAYS
TO WORK TOGETHER.
I THINK THE FARM BILL IS REALLY
A GOOD EXAMPLE.
WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE
STRENGTHS.
STRENGTHS. WE’VE TALKED ABOUT WHY IT WORKS.
REMEMBER, IT’S COUNTERCYCLICAL
SO IT PROVIDES HELP TO FARMERS
AND RANCHERS WHEN THEY NEED IT
BUT NOT WHEN THEY DON’T.
AGAIN, IT’S BACK TO WHAT BEST
SERVES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ON
THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.
THAT’S HOW WE ALL HAVE TO LOOK
AT IT.
AT IT. >> SENATOR JOHN HOEVEN, PLEASURE