By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R) from Saks has been appointed to the House Committee on Agriculture for the 113th Congress. Congressman Rogers has served on the committee during previous Congresses and will be a senior member of the committee when it reconvenes in January.
Congressman Rogers said, “I am honored to be selected by my colleagues to again serve on the Agriculture Committee. Especially in these challenging times, I look forward to continue advocating strongly for the Third District’s many agriculture interests.”
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas (R) from Oklahoma said, “I am pleased to welcome back Congressman Rogers as a member of the House Committee on Agriculture. He is a proven leader with extensive knowledge of agriculture issues. I know he will serve both his East Alabama district and our nation well on the committee.”
The House Agriculture Committee has jurisdiction over a wide range of issues that are vital to the Alabama economy, where the state’s largest industry remains agriculture.
Agriculture is going to be an especially challenging area in the 113th Congress because a new long term farm bill was not passed in the 112th Congress. The House passed a new five year farm bill, but the Senate never voted on it. Instead a simple nine month extension of the 2008 farm bill was included in the Biden-McConnell Fiscal Cliff Bill. The fiscal cliff deal was passed by the Senate on December 31 and approved by the House on January 1.
The 113th Congress will have to deal with the sequestration crisis in 60 days and decide whether or not to reduce the deficit when the country hits the debt ceiling in March. Both of those issues will impact the new long-term farm bill. Congress will have to decide whether to extend the 2008 farm bill to 2014, pass some version of the 2012 farm bill, or start over on the farm bill from scratch and send it back to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.
Since Rogers first term, the Congressman has maintained his Third District Agriculture Advisory Committee. Rogers said the group, which includes farmers from every county of his district, has been a vital resource for him while in Congress.
Congressman Rogers is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on the House Armed Services Committee. He is also a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee.
Congressman Rogers represents Alabama’s Third Congressional District.
