Republican Leader Thompson Outlines Guiding Principles for Disaster Programs in Subcommittee Hearing

Today, Congressman Glenn 'GT' Thompson, Republican Leader of the House Agriculture Committee, outlined his guiding principles for disaster programs in a General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee hearing entitled, 'A Hearing to Review the Efficacy of the Farm Safety Net.'

'When I was selected to be the Republican Leader on the Agriculture Committee, I made it clear that my number one priority was to rebuild a robust rural economy-and that starts at the farm gate,' Thompson said. 'Whether it be a natural disaster that can wipe out a crop at a moment's notice, a foreign government that interferes with a market, or a pandemic that disrupts the entire supply chain-producers are in a constant battle to remain viable. That is why a strong safety net is a critical piece of rebuilding a robust rural economy.'

The three principles outlined by Mr. Thompson include:

• The program must complement rather than compete with crop insurance;
• The program should be easy to implement, and;
• The program should be reliable and respond quickly to disaster events.

Mr. Thompson ended with a call for bipartisanship. 'If Chairman Scott is willing to work within those three principles, I want to work with him to craft the best policy possible. No one member or single party has a monopoly on good ideas and working together to achieve a common goal will undoubtedly render a better outcome,' he said.

To watch Mr. Thompson's remarks from this afternoon's hearing, click here.