Chairman Bishop Statement at Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA Member Day

Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's Member Day:

The Subcommittee will come to order. Good morning. Today, we welcome our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to give testimony before the Subcommittee on the agencies under our jurisdiction. This is a tremendous opportunity to listen to a diverse group of Members from across the country share their views on a wide spectrum of issues related to our bill.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the appropriations process and learning more about the programs and issues that affect your district and your constituents. Your input is invaluable as we draft funding legislation for upcoming fiscal year for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Farm Credit Administration.

Before we begin, I would like to remind everyone that we have several Members testifying today, so we will need to strictly adhere to the five-minute rule to remain on schedule. I want to thank every Member who has taken time out of their schedule to speak to us today. We appreciate your interest in the work of this Subcommittee.