Pat Roberts

Supporters of new legislation in the Senate say would help rural health care providers deliver high-quality care.   Kansas Republican Pat Roberts and Nevada Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, authors of the legislation, said the Rural ACO Improvement Act would fix a glitch in the program.  Ac...

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has approved a bill to protect the nation’s food supply.  The committee unanimously approved The Protecting America’s Food & Agriculture Act of 2019, introduced by Senate Agriculture Committee leaders Pat Roberts and Debbie Stabenow.  The bill would aut...

A bipartisan group of Senators introduced legislation to address a shortage of agricultural inspectors who protect the nation’s food supply and Ag industries at the border.  Ag inspectors work to prevent the intentional or unintentional entry of harmful plants, food, animals, and goods into the U.S.  The Pr...

The Senate Ag Committee held a hearing on the issue of climate change and the agricultural sector.  In written testimony, National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson thanked the committee for addressing the negative effects of climate change on the agricultural industry. He ...

Groups reacted to the announcement last week that the Senate had confirmed Acting Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler to head the agency permanently. Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said his organization welcomes the Senate’s confirmation of Wheeler as administrator. “Thi...

Lawmakers and agriculture industry groups met face-to-face on Capitol Hill this week to discuss the serious labor shortage facing American farmers. They discussed the possibility of a comprehensive legislative package that would ease the chronic problem by legalizing undocumented workers and supporting a steady influx of laborers from other countries...

The Senate Ag Committee and its leadership, including Chair Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, announced that the Senate passed the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act.   In last week's announcement, the Senators said, “The unanimous Senate passage of the bipartisan PRIA legislation provides certainty to farmers, consumers, and many other stakeholders. We’re urg...

Senate Ag Chair Pat Roberts predicts no more government shutdowns as USDA gears up to implement the new Farm Bill.  Roberts said despite another looming government shutdown deadline at the end of next week.   “We’re not going to do another shutdown; we’re just not.  They never achieve their ...

Ag committee leaders in both the House and the Senate announced Thursday an “agreement in principle” on a 2018 Farm Bill.  Details still need to be worked before a final bill can be voted on, and eventually sent to President Trump for his signature.  And with just ...

As agriculture eagerly awaits a Farm Bill, another hurdle has emerged.  Now, a forestry dispute appears to be in the way, according to Politico.  Pat Roberts, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, continues to insist that the conference committee negotiators are “close” to reaching an agreement.  He said finding an agreement ...