WASHINGTON, D.C.—At the House Republican leadership stakeout today, Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke in favor of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, which includes reforms to strengthen and improve the farming economy and would institute new workforce development programs to help more Americans gain the necessary training to fill the millions of open jobs in our booming economy. Whip Scalise also honored National Law Enforcement Week and thanked the U.S. Capitol Police and police officers across the country for their work every day to keep Americans safe. 

 

Click here or on the image above to watch his remarks.

On the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018:

“I want to thank Chairman Conaway and his committee for the work that they’ve done to produce a farm bill that addresses the needs of our farmers, [and does] what we need to do to make sure the United States can maintain being the world leader in supplying good, healthy food to not only America, but also the world.

“But something else that this bill does that’s critically important is it restores real work requirements to welfare programs that have not really served the people that are on them right now.

“If you look at where we are today, with unemployment going down. We’re at our lowest levels in almost 20 years because of the tax cut bill that we did and because of the work we’ve been doing with this president to rein in the regulatory state that was out of control. We now see companies looking to hire workers, and that’s a great thing.

“But at the same time, we also see… a ballooning number of people on SNAP. Back in 2000, when we had those lower levels of unemployment, we had 17 million people on the SNAP program. Today, it’s over 41 million people on that same program.

“And so, what we want to do is restore the value of, the dignity of hard work. And to get back to prosperity instead of poverty, the reforms in this bill are critically important. So I commend Chairman Conaway and his committee for the work that they’ve done.

“We’re now working to get this bill through the rules process, through the committee, through the amendment process, ultimately, to get a farm bill that addresses the needs of this country, and reforms this broken welfare program, to restore work requirements back in place.”

On National Law Enforcement Week:

“Finally, I want to mention that this is National Law Enforcement Week. And I surely know the value of what our law enforcement officers mean to us, to provide safety to us, to our country. I’m especially proud of the great work that the United States Capitol Police does. And I was really touched by a special tribute earlier this week, where David Bailey and Crystal Griner received the Top Cops Award, a really prestigious national award.

“They saved the lives of so many of us, and they risk their lives every day. All of our law enforcement do, all around the country.

“And I think it’s great that we’re taking a week to celebrate them and to put some bills on the floor that are really important to further protecting our men and women in uniform who protect us every day.”