Business Meeting: H.R. 267, 2020 WHIP+ Reauthorization Act

The committee will come to order. I note that a quorum is present and that each member has provided the material on the agenda for today. Now I will recognize myself for an opening statement. Ladies and gentlemen of the committee, this is an extraordinarily important hearing. We got wildfires that are just devastating our nation. We see it. It is unbelievable, unimaginable, and we are timing this bill at a very, very opportune time because the nation sees so much of our land and our forestry burning up with these wildfires, but we hope today that they will see us as a House Agriculture Committee addressing this problem with the severity and intensity that this problem deserves. I want to really refresh our minds a bit. You know we had these hurricanes that hit the southern part of the country a few years ago, and I am just thankful and appreciate the fine work that Congressman Austin Scott and Sanford Bishop did in our state pulling together and going on that floor and getting help and disaster aid, and this is a priority of all of us. We want to move to hopefully be able to, as soon as we can work some of the wrinkles out, get some help where we can give it in an immediate way. In addition to moving through the regular appropriations process, the issue is too devastating. We have got to be able to have the Secretary of Agriculture be able to have some funds there that on a moment's notice, when the hurricanes are raging, the fires are burning, we can give out some emergency aid to give hope to our farmers, to our ranchers that we're there. Our appropriations process, sometimes it took two years. Many of our farmers haven't even got the aid yet, and unfortunately, as we know, because farming is personal. Farming is not just a job. It's a life. It's a way of life, and when you lose it or you see it, and this is why unfortunately we had so many suicides at that time, particularly our dairy farmers. So I just can't thank everybody enough for us moving and addressing this issue. I also want to give a shout out to Ms. Sherry Bustos, who is our subcommittee chair, chairlady, who's done a wonderful job with our federal crop insurance program, and this is why with the severity of this that I have, and we are addressing today the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus Act to see if we can't get some immediate response. The proposal before our committee extends the program and makes some important updates, and we have taken the base of HR 267. It's sponsored by my good friend, Representative Mike Thompson, and co-sponsored by many, many of our friends from California and the West who are devastated with these storms, and it's been a privilege of mine to have worked with Congressman Mike Thompson on this bill. Many members on this committee have helped us in putting this bill together, and I want to also thank them for their tireless efforts. Couldn't have done it without Representative Jimmy Panetta, Salud Garber Hall, I hope I got his name right, and Josh Harder. All are co-sponsors of this bill, and fought alongside Jim Costa, who has also provided great leadership and others to extend WHIP Plus and to make sure that our great wine, great farmers are covered. This is so important, and I want to also thank Representative Sidney Axne, who has been very, very vocal in extending WHIP Plus to get aid to her farmers and producers who were impacted by direct coal last year, and then represent, as I said, many, many of our members. Representative Kim Schrier, who has producers in fruits and vegetables, were burning up, burning up right there before their eyes because of the extended excessive heat that is happening right now, and I'm so also grateful to Representative Angie Craig and Miss Abigail Spanberger and Dusty Johnson, who all also have important pieces of legislation that will give flexibility to our ranchers to be able to access feed from cover crops without being penalized on their crop insurance. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced those flexibilities administratively, and I so applaud their leadership to influence that announcement. I want to also thank my good friend from Texas, Representative Henry Quaylor, as well as Representative Michael Cloud. They also have fought hard over a period of long time to extend WHIP Plus and with their Restore Act, which was led by Representative Ronnie Jackson. Many of these ideas are incorporated in this proposal and throughout this process, and I am very proud and grateful also to work with my good friend and Ranking Member here, G.D. Thompson, and I just want to say, Ranking Member, I appreciate the great work we're doing in a bipartisan way. Thank you, my friend. Now, my friend, I will yield to you for any remarks you have. All right, Chairman Scott, thank you so much for your leadership on this issue and for working with me in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that the authorizing committee has a say when it comes to disaster assistance for our producers. This extension of the Wildfire Hurricane Indemnity Program disaster program for 2020 and 2021 losses is crucial. With fires raging out west, drought gripping the upper plains, and floods washing through the Mississippi Delta, it seems like no producer has been spared the wrath of Mother Nature this year. That's why it's important that we build some momentum for relief, which I hope the advancement of this bill with key improvements made by the ANS will do so. In addition to Congressman Mike Thompson, whose bill that we're amending today, I also want to commend Congressman Ronnie Jackson and a bipartisan group of 15 co-sponsors who introduced H.R. 1692, the Restore Act. All of the policy modifications made by that bill have been incorporated into the ANS as we will consider today. This bill, as amended, provides for an extension of support for producers incurring crop losses due to disaster event in 2020 and 2021, as well as extends assistance to dairies who are forced to dump milk or farmers with losses to on farm stored commodities. Additionally, we expand the list of eligible disaster events to also include high winds and derechos, a key priority for my friend from Iowa, Representative Feenstra. Losses due to excessive heat, drought, and freezes like the polar vortex that hit Texas earlier this year would also be covered. One of the biggest complaints that we've heard about WIP plus in 2018 and 2019 was the overly cumbersome application process and the workload that was placed on the Farm Service Agency field staff. In order to address these concerns, we provide USDA with the necessary administration funds to make investments in technology and staff necessary to streamline the application process. I want to thank the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Milk Producers Federation, National Cotton Council, and countless other commodity organizations that have provided input and are supportive of this effort. Finally, I wanted to close with some reflections on crop insurance. Along with Congresswoman Bustos, I was the co-founder of the Crop Insurance Caucus last Congress, and we know hands down crop insurance is the most vitally important risk management tool for our producers. The best way to reduce the need for costly ad hoc assistance is to make sure that there are policies out there that work well for every crop in every region of the country. To continue to grow participation in crop insurance, this bill maintains the requirement that producers receiving assistance under WIP Plus purchase crop insurance for at least two consecutive crop years. Mr. Chairman, I'm proud of the work our teams have put together. I'm proud of the bipartisan cooperation you and I have had on both broadband and now disaster, and I'm proud to support the ANS, and I would urge my colleagues' support of it as well, and I yield back. Thank you. The chair may recess the committee subject to the call of the chair at any point during this meeting. Ladies and gentlemen, we have before us for consideration H.R. 267, the 2020 WIP Plus Reauthorization Act. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is waived and is open for amendment at any point, and I would like to remind members that only amendments germane to the subject matter before us today shall be in order. No motion or proposition on a subject different from the than that under consideration shall be submitted under the color of amendment. Members are reminded to please unmute themselves when recognized to speak and to appear on the screen when they are called on to vote, and please try to keep your microphones unmuted. Sometimes we forget, and it really interferes, so I appreciate you being very smart about keeping yourselves unmuted. Even I myself forget sometimes, so please remind me, too, if I forget. So now, pursuant to Committee Rule 3I and House Rule 11, Clause 2, the chair may postpone further proceedings today on the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting any amendment on which a recorded vote is ordered. I now recognize myself to offer an amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 267, which is at the desk. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is waived and the substitute will be considered now as the original text for the purposes of further amendments. Now, Council, I recognize you to give a brief summary of the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Section 1, Disaster Indemnity Program. Subsection A, in general. Subsection A requires the Secretary to carry out a Disaster Indemnity Program, an On-Farm Storage Loss Program, and a Milk Loss Program for calendar years 2020 and 2021. Subsection B, Covered Losses. Subsection B requires the Secretary to make payments to producers for qualified losses of covered crops, including milk. Subsection C, Payments. Subsection C requires the Secretary to distribute payments to producers for qualified losses of covered crops and milk in the same manner as payments made under the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus, or WIP Plus, On-Farm Storage Loss and WIP Plus Milk Loss Programs. Payments are to be direct payments to producers and certain processors. Subsection C also allows the Secretary to provide block grants. Payments for qualified losses of unharvested acres of a covered crop are to be paid in the same way as payments under the Non-Insured Crop Assistance Program, or NAP. Payment limitations are to be consistent with those of WIP Plus, except for specialty crops or high-value crops, which will be subject to the same payment limitations in effect for the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program, or WIP. The Secretary shall determine average adjusted gross income and average adjusted gross farm income based on 2017, 2018, and 2019 tax years. Payment limitations are to be applied separately for each year. It also provides that the Secretary apply payment limitations for certain legal entities in the same manner as were applied under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP. Finally, Subsection C requires the Secretary to account for insurance premiums paid by the producers and crop insurance indemnities when distributing payments. Subsection D, Authorization of Appropriations. Subsection D authorizes $8.5 billion in appropriations. It also allows the Secretary to use not more than 1% of appropriated funds for administrative expenses. Subsection E, Exemptions. Subsection E provides an exemption for producers from requirements to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System, or DUNS number, and to be in the System for Award Management, or SAM. Subsection F, Definitions. Subsection F provides the definitions for the section. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Counselor. Amendments submitted in advance were emailed to each member's office last night and earlier today. Members will be responsible for having before them the text of any amendment. If there's anybody that needs any assistance in this, please let staff know. Before we begin, does any member wish to speak on this bill? Mr. Chairman? Yes, sir. I move to strike the last word. Gentlemen, Mr. Constance is recognized for five minutes. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to commend you and your efforts, not only for holding this markup, but to work so closely together with our friends on the minority, Ranking Member G.T. Thompson, Congressman Mike Thompson's long-distant relative. But the fact that we are all working together I think reflects, as you and I like to hallmark, the nature of the bipartisanship of this House Ag Committee. And this product, this legislative product, I think reflects that. It reflects the needs that have taken place in recent years of the disasters that have occurred on a regional basis in farm country, whether we're talking about, as you noted, hurricanes or floods or the incredible fires that we've seen in the West in multiple states that have created such hardship for farmers, ranchers, dairymen, and women. We know that folks are suffering and they've been hard hit. That's just the bottom line. And you add on top of that the impact of 15, now 16, months of the COVID-19. It's been a difficult, difficult time for all people in our country. But for those folks who put food on America's dinner table every night, which I like to state is a national security issue, we need to be there for them. We need to be there to respond to the natural disasters that have occurred. They are a reality just as climate change is a reality that is impacting every region of our country. Let me speak specifically about California, the state that I represent, perhaps the largest agricultural state in the nation, half the nation's fruits and vegetables, 20% of the nation's dairy products, leader in citrus production, and the list goes on and on of over 300 commodities. All of these things have impacted California like they've impacted every other region of the country. This legislation is much needed because with the expansion of the WIP plus program to cover losses in a host of different areas, including our cooperatives, as an example, the dairy industry, these critical drought conditions have impacted so many of the input costs that farmers, ranchers, dairymen, and women have to factor in as they're dealing with market prices. You know, farming is a risky business. I know. I'm a third generation farmer in California. There are a lot of things we just don't have any control over. Market prices, we don't have any control over. The weather, we don't have any control over. Therefore, it's important that this House Ag Committee in a bipartisan fashion with your leadership, Mr. Chairman, respond to the crisis that is taking place in farm country across America. The eight and a half billion dollar authorization for 2020 and 2021 is a step in the right direction, and we must continue to be engaged. As you noted, the relief that we have had has been late. It's been slow in coming, and that just isn't right. And we've had problems, as Congressman Thompson noted, with our Farm Services Administration, and they're backlogged, and they can't produce the reports that our producers when they go to their offices. And guess what? You know, natural disasters, you can count on, but I think they're going to continue and be exacerbated because of factors that we know today science tells us continue to be more difficult, more extreme in nature. And, you know, the old line, don't fool with Mother Nature. Well, we're fooling with Mother Nature, and we got to respond because food on America's dinner table is something that we should never, ever take for granted. Never. So the importance of your work product, your bipartisanship makes a difference. Our efforts with crop insurance, with Congresswoman Vilsack's effort is important. We got to work together with the Secretary of Agriculture to give him the flexibility necessary, as you noted, to respond when a crisis hit, regardless of what region of the country it may impact. And we know for certain that those are going to continue. So I add my support for this overall bipartisanship effort. We'll continue to work together because we know the crisis today is next year's crisis that we're going to have to deal with. So God bless you. Thank you very much. And I look forward to voting for this measure. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Costa. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to strike the last word. I think I know. Is there anybody on the Republican side at this time? If not, Congressman Randy Feenstra, I'd like to strike the last word. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. Mr. Fenster, you're recognized for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Thompson. I am very pleased to see the committee come together and working on this bipartisan legislation for our farmers and our producers. I'm also so very pleased to see the legislation includes provisions which qualify production losses caused by high winds and derechos. Since coming to Congress, I've worked diligently to make sure Iowa farmers have the necessary resources to recover from the 2020 derecho that prevented 850,000 acres from being harvested. This was the most costly thunderstorm in U.S. history, costing about $7.5 billion. And it was exactly about one year ago. As many of you know, I proposed the amendment to the Agricultural Reconciliation Bill that would have authorized a WIP plus program to cover production losses from the derecho. This committee voted favorably to adopt my amendment, paving the way for Iowa farmers to receive additional relief. However, the amendment was stripped from the final reconciliation bill, leaving our farmers without any supplemental assistance. In June, I introduced the legislation to make payments for necessary expenses related to the production losses of crops due to high winds and derechos. And there, I want to thank Representative Henson for joining me in these efforts through her work on the House Appropriations Committee. As I can tell, I am very pleased that our committee is continuing these efforts to ensure that Iowa farmers and farmers across the country receive disaster relief they need to offset these massive losses by these events. I am grateful for the committee's bipartisan work on reauthorizing the WIP plus program and for adopting my legislation to include crop loss due to derechos. Thank you and I yield back. Thank you very much. And now we will recognize Ms. Bustos for five minutes. All righty. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. The bill we're marking up today serves two important purposes. Number one, it provides a safety net for family farmers who are experiencing drought conditions across the West, the Upper Plains, and now the Upper Midwest, while making more producers eligible for the WIP plus program. Number two, it gives our family farmers peace of mind for the future by promoting enrollment in crop insurance. As chair of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management and co-chair of the Congressional Crop Insurance Caucus, I have spoken with growers and producers throughout the congressional district I serve and also throughout the country about the benefits of risk management tools like crop insurance. With increasingly unpredictable climate conditions, crop insurance is more important than ever. That's especially true in congressional districts like the one I represent, where we experience a wide range of disaster events, like drought conditions in Freeport, Illinois, freezes in Galena, floods in Akwaka, and even a derecho that's affecting the Quad Cities. Today's legislation would bolster the federal crop insurance program by requiring enrollment for the next two years at a coverage level of at least 60 percent as a condition of receiving disaster payments, giving our farmers the certainty they need when unprecedented conditions come their way. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you and the ranking member on future disaster legislation to ensure that we keep our risk management tool strong and reliable for years to come, and I yield back. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman? Yes. I'd like to speak on the bill. Kim Schrier. Okay. I think Mr. Carbajal was next, and then we'll get right to you, Ms. Schreier. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to Ranking Member Thompson for bringing this important bill before the committee. Before I proceed, I wanted to wish Mr. G.T. Thompson a happy birthday. Today's his birthday, although I think he's had about four birthdays a year. Happy birthday to you. I think it's about the fourth this year, but I continue to celebrate with him. Over the past decade, California has become more prone to weather extremes, and the Central Coast is no exception. Our community has felt the climate crisis in a multitude of ways, more severe droughts, increasing frequency of heat waves, and record-setting wildfires. Unfortunately, we're likely to see and are already seeing another active wildfire season and extreme drought conditions. Wine grapes are the second largest valued crop in my district, which is why I've continuously advocated for critical disaster assistance for growers who were impacted by smoke taint. Unfortunately, due to a combination of challenges, including concerns about possible smoke taint from late-season wildfires, for example, the value of wine grapes in San Luis Obispo County decreased 14 percent from the previous year and marked their lowest value in the past five years. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, which provides a vital support system for producers, both in my district and up and down the West Coast, including our vibrant wine community. Thank you. I yield back, Mr. Chair. Are there any Republicans at this point that would like to ask? If not, we will go now to Congress Lady Schreier. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, and I am glad that disaster relief for agricultural producers is a priority for the Ag Committee. I've heard from farmers in Washington State and my district in recent weeks about the impacts of an extreme heat wave that hit the Pacific Northwest in June with temperatures reaching as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the Pacific Northwest. This came in addition to the challenges producers are already facing with ongoing droughts, catastrophic wildfires, and low soil moisture. And unfortunately, many of the producers who suffered the greatest heat-related losses were either located in counties not covered by the drought designations or experienced losses not covered by drought assistance programs or both. And due to the severity of the situation, additional federal assistance will be needed beyond what can be offered through current USDA drought relief programs. Reports across the Pacific Northwest indicate that berry crops, tree fruits, grain and pulse crops, potatoes, hops, dairy, forage crops, and beef cattle all experienced excessive heat impacts to yield and to quality. For example, cherry growers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Utah have so far lost an estimated 20 percent of their overall crop due to the extreme heat wave. And just the other week, farmers in my district told me that their cherries were essentially cooking on the trees. Early modeling for shellfish suggested an estimated 1 billion sea creatures, including clams, oysters, mussels, and geoducks, died along the Salish Sea's 4,000 miles of coastline. And for crops, including apples and pears, the full extent of the losses may not be known until harvest in the fall or even later if the damage manifests while they're in storage. And that is why it is so essential to ensure that producers in my district and across the Northwest dealing with the impacts of the recent heat wave are covered in this disaster aid bill. So I want to thank you, Chairman Scott. I want to thank the staff of the Agriculture Committee for adding excessive heat as a qualified loss in this bill so that farmers in the Northwest will be able to access the necessary relief. I'm also sending a letter to Secretary Vilsack, along with 45 bipartisan House and Senate colleagues, to request USDA identify options to deliver federal relief to these producers. I'm excited to support this legislation, and I yield back. Thank you very much, Congresswoman Schwimmer. And next, we will go to Mr. Panetta. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate this. I move to strike the last word. I would like to thank you and Ranking Member Thompson for coming together, for working together, and of course, for putting together a bipartisan bill that addresses a problem that we are experiencing, not just in my district, but throughout America. From wildfires in the West, to flooding in the South, to thunderstorms, huge thunderstorms in the middle of our country. Our farmers, our farm workers, our people, and our products are getting absolutely pummeled. Now, last year, in and around my district, there were five major wildfires that burned over 640,000 acres. In addition to the structural damage, these fires had significant impact on our local agricultural industry, including many of our wine grape growers in our district. In fact, according to our recent crop report that just came out this week, the total value of our wine grapes in Monterey County experienced a 43 percent decline in value, basically a loss of over 80 million dollars, just from the effects of wildfires. Now, this is not just about grapes getting burnt from fire, it's all about their taint from smoke. As you know, smoke can blow miles from their fires, spreading across and staying in the fields and vineyards, and when wine grapes are exposed to smoke, of course it can result in wines with a smoky, burnt, ashy, or even a medicinal taste. Now, unless you're like some of my colleagues here, who like that smoky taste in their wine, for the most part, those products are virtually impossible to market. Now, ag producers in my district have dealt with smoke taint in the past, and in those instances, the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program, WIP, has been an absolute lifeline. Unfortunately, this product has not been active since 2019, meaning that for all of their losses, my producers incurred in 2020, one of the most catastrophic fire years in modern history, there was no relief available. That's why in November of 2020, Representative Mike Thompson and I introduced the WIP Plus Reauthorization Act to extend this critical program to cover 2020 losses. So you can understand why that I'm very pleased today that we're marking up this bill, and that it will cover both 2020 and losses in 2021. Moreover, I'm very pleased that this is a bipartisan bill that ensures that the payment limits for WIP Plus reflect the high cost of land and labor associated with specially cropped agriculture. This bill must pass sooner the better, because our producers cannot wait any longer. And unfortunately, fire seasons, or we should be calling them now, fire years, are only becoming more intense. We need to be prepared for hotter, drier conditions across the West, and a year-round risk of extreme wildfire, impacting not just our food and drink, but also our health, our homes, and our environment. And part of being prepared means that we in Congress must pursue every opportunity to ensure our agricultural producers who are on the front lines of climate change have the resources that they need to keep our rural economies going and thriving in the face of these disasters. We are taking a very important step today in that direction, and I'm committed to working with you, the Ranking Member, and all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this legislation not just through this committee, but across the finish line and signed into law. Mr. Chairman, I yield back, and I thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Panetta. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to be recognized. Now we will recognize Ms. Craig for five minutes. Thank you so much, Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Thompson. Thank you so much especially for the focus of today's markup and for the bipartisan nature of the work on the committee so far during the 117th Congress. From the rural broadband investments we advanced earlier in July to today's bill on disaster relief, I appreciate the cooperation and leadership that you've both demonstrated. Our work on the Ag Committee is vital to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities across the country, and they don't give a damn what letter comes before our names. They care about what we're getting done. That's why I appreciate the bipartisanship on display here. It's an example of how we can continue to pass legislation that responds to our constituents. In the conversations I'm having with farmers and ranchers in my district right now, it's clear that the severe drought we're facing across much of the country needs to be addressed. That's why I'm encouraged to see the provisions in the language for H.R. 267 that includes D2 level drought impacts in the list of qualifying losses. Much of Minnesota, in fact as of yesterday, 72 percent is suffering from severe drought, and I know that that's the case for many of our fellow committee members who represent districts in the Midwest and West. Just last week I was speaking with a rancher in my district who's been forced to sell half her herd due to conditions caused by the drought. Action is needed to support producers like her in my district and across the country, and unfortunately there's no sign of the drought letting up soon, and so the provision that provides eligibility only after eight consecutive weeks of severe drought conditions will likely be met by producers soon if it hasn't already been met. This additional eligibility will go hand-in-hand with the flexibility that USDA recently announced regarding producers being able to receive full payments for prevent planting acres that are hayed or grazed before November 1st, which is an issue that Congressman Dusty Johnson and I have been focused on with our bipartisan FEED Act. I also appreciate the bill does not negatively impact crop insurance, which as we heard from our testifiers in the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee hearing on June 23rd is a key tool for farmers as they manage risk according to their specific operations and conditions on the ground. In fact, I'm hopeful that the program may mean more producers are covered by crop insurance based on the two-year coverage provision in the bill. I look forward to continuing support of the crop insurance program and other risk management tools and hope that they will remain a priority of the committee as well. Mr. Chairman, again, thank you for this bipartisan focus here with H.R. 267 and the focus of WHIP plus as a way to continue support for our farmers and ranchers, and with that I yield back. Thank you very much, and now I recognize the lady from North Carolina, Ms. Alma Adams. Thank you, Chairman Scott. I'd like to strike the last word. Thank you and the ranking member for hosting the markup today. Agriculture producers across the country have experienced severe weather conditions that have resulted in significant production and economic loss throughout 2020 and 2021 to up to today. Farmers have gone through wildfires and hurricanes and flooding to vortex among many other natural disasters, and while my district is substantially urban and suburban, I understand the urgency and the importance of the issue. My home state of North Carolina is home to more than 50,000 farms occupying more than eight million acres of farmland, and in 2018 during Hurricane Florence, North Carolina was among the hardest hit states. Farmers suffered more than two billion dollars in losses, and yet it took about a year for them to receive disaster relief funds. That was too long. Many farmers went out of business. They were not able to secure loans to get crops in the ground a year later, and when disasters occur, the timing of assistance can be a matter of survival for many farmers and ranchers, which is why Congress must provide additional disaster relief funds to help mitigate the impact of 2021 and 2021 extreme weather events and climate change by reauthorizing the WIP plus milk loss and the on-farm storage loss programs, and I hope that we can do that. I'm proud to support this legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it as well. Thank you again, Chairman. I yield back. Okay, thank you very much, Ms. Adams. Now are there any other members, I may have missed, that want to speak at this time? Anyone? Going once, going twice, anyone on your side ranking? Maybe Mr. LaMoffa from California. Oh, Mr. LaMoffa? Thank you, Mr. Chairman, appreciate it. You're recognized. Five minutes, thank you. Okay, thank you. I probably won't use all of it, so I just wanted to touch on the issue with the fire season we've been having. You know, this year it's already terrible on the west as we, as this committee, of course, oversees U.S. Forest Service, and I'm proud to be the ranking member on forestry and conservation with my great colleague, Chairwoman Spanberger. I think you do good work on there, but we just got to bring attention more to what's going on. Unfortunately, it looks like 2021 is going to be perhaps a worse fire. As Mr. Carbajal had mentioned, you know, smoke-tainted grapes affected the wine country and really anywhere that has good wine grape growing areas. My district has it too, so everything becomes smoke-tainted, and it's certainly not great for general health. So we also have severe drought conditions that an overgrown forest actually exacerbates because really the amount of trees per acre that are sustainable are somewhere around 60, 70, 80 full-size trees per acre. We have cases of more than 300 trees per acre, so we got to do much more about that. We have also, with the drought in general, obviously for agriculture in California, it's really on its knees right now because so much of our ag lands have been curtailed from halfway normal allotment to even zero down in San Joaquin Valley, up in the north part on the Klamath Basin, Sacramento Valley, many curtailments. A lot of people say, well, okay, it just means less farmers in California, but the crops that we grow are unique in large part to California. Many of them, our whole country's supply comes from California. At least 12 crops that are grown in California are 99% of the nation's use come from our state. So the drought there and the lack of water storage that we haven't built in a long time, added to in a long time, really is a factor for all Americans. So as water gets cut off, it's going to hurt all of us and all of our economy. So with the amendment that will reauthorize the wildfire and hurricane indemnity protection program, plus provide necessary supplemental assistance to help farmers across the country impacted by these disasters in 2020 and 2021. So it's an important amendment for what we're dealing with out there and just so much in the West. So I appreciate the time, Mr. Chairman and committee members, and I yield back. Thank you, Mr. LaMoffa, and I appreciate your remarks. Now, any other members want to speak at this time? All right, I think we're clear on that. Hearing no further discussion without objection, the committee will consider the whole amendment in the nature of a substitute, and it too will be open for amendments at any time. Do members have any amendments? Any amendments from members? All right, hearing none. Now we will move to voting on agreeing to the substitute and reporting the measure. The question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of a substitute. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Good. Those in opposed say no. That's music to my ears. Thank you. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, the ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to. A recorded vote has not been requested. Okay, a majority haven't voted in favor. The amendment in the nature of a substitute is agreed to. At this time, I will now recognize the distinguished ranking member for a motion. Mr. Chairman, I hereby move that H.R. 267, as amended, be favorably reported to the House with an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the amendment agreed to and the markup and with the recommendation that the amendment be agreed to and the bill do pass. The question now occurs on the motion. All those in favor of the resolution say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, the ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to. A majority having voted in favor of the motion is agreed to, and the measure and the accompanying materials shall be reported to the House. Does any member wish to file any supplemental, additional, descending, or minority views to H.R. 267? If you do, please have them submitted to the clerk's office at 1303 Longworth by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 30th. So, without question, the usual instructions are now given to staff that consists of making such technical, clarifying, and conforming changes as are appropriate without changing the substance of the legislation. And now this concludes today's business, and I want to thank you members. This is an important, critical issue for not just our farmers, not just our nation, but for the world. For we remain the food fabric, the fiber fabric, the forestry opportunities and producers of the world. We're number one in the world in agriculture. And these disasters are threatening us and the world. We've done good work today, and I just want to thank each and every one of you. And I also want to let members know that we want to make sure that your bills are heard. If there are any bills of any of our members that you want to be heard, please let me as chairman know and our staff. I think everybody knows Ann Simmons, our great, hardworking staff director, as well as our minority staff director. So, just let us know, because we want to make sure that all of the legislation that you all are working on gets a hearing, gets a markup, and hopefully gets passed. And as chairman, I'm here to help you do that, and I'm sure the ranking member feels the same way. So, let us know. We don't know if you don't tell us that you want your legislation heard and voted on. We'll get right to work on it. Thank you. Now, this meeting is adjourned. Thank you.