The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“EDWARD T. SCHAFER AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4274-H4275 on May 17, 2017.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
EDWARD T. SCHAFER AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2154) to rename the Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, North Dakota, as the Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2154
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. RENAMING OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH CENTER IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA AS THE
EDWARD T. SCHAFER AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER.
(a) Renaming.--The Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, North Dakota, shall hereafter be known and designated as the ``Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be considered to be a reference to the Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 2154, to rename the Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, North Dakota, as the Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center. And this, Mr. Speaker, is in spite of the fact that it is located at North Dakota State University, which, in January of 2015, beat my Illinois State Red Birds for the FCS football championship and caused me to have to bring cupcakes from Normal, Illinois, to pay a bet with my colleague who is the author of this bill, Congressman Kevin Cramer. So I still support this bill in spite of those actions because it is a good bill, Mr. Speaker.
Ed Schafer served as North Dakota's Governor from 1992 to 2000, and as our Nation's Secretary of Agriculture from 2008 to 2009. Renaming the Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, North Dakota, to honor Secretary Schafer is a fitting tribute to his distinguished career in public service.
Located in Secretary Schafer's home State and at one of the Nation's premier land grant universities, this research center continues to advance its vital work on improving crops to strengthen our Nation's food security. I greatly appreciate the work--in spite of the cupcakes--that Congressman Kevin Cramer has put forth on this bill, his leadership, and I urge my colleagues to join me today in supporting this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 2154 recognizes former U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary and former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer by renaming the Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in his honor.
The research center serves the region, including my district in Minnesota, by coordinating five research units in two Fargo laboratories. The center does a wide range of work with a focus on animal metabolism-agricultural chemicals, cereal crops, insect genetics and biochemistry, sugar beet and potato, and sunflower and plant biology research.
I worked closely with Ed Schafer when he was at USDA and also during the time he was North Dakota's Governor. We worked on many things together. Some of them were pleasant and some of them not so pleasant, such as floods and so forth.
I think it is a fitting recognition for an outstanding career in government, and I am happy to be here to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) for supporting this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from North Dakota
(Mr. Cramer), the author of this bill.
Mr. CRAMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Davis and my colleague, Mr. Peterson, from across the Red River in Minnesota for their support for this renaming of the Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center. For all of the reasons that Representative Peterson talked about, it is a world-class facility in a world-class town, and I think it should be named after a world-class guy, and I think Ed Schafer is that.
I had the opportunity to serve under Ed when he was Governor for 8 years. I served in his cabinet. His intellect and his common sense are matched only by his boundless energy and his eternal optimism, qualities he brings to every job he does, including his work at the Department of Agriculture.
When he was recognized by his former Governor colleague, President George W. Bush, and asked to join the administration in that department, it was a remarkable thing not just for agriculture, not just for Ed, but for our State. North Dakota is number one in the production of many crops. Agriculture is the number one industry in our State. It is what makes North Dakota what North Dakota is: the ability to feed hungry people in a growing world. Ed brought that common sense to USDA and that work ethic that works the land so effectively.
I feel like this is a fitting tribute to him. It is a celebration not only of his accomplishments, but a celebration of agriculture in North Dakota and the entire Red River Valley, including Congressman Peterson's district, and really for our world.
I would note that our two Senators, while it is easy for me to get unanimity in the House for the North Dakota House caucus since I am the only one, North Dakota's two Senators have a companion bill in the Senate introduced by Senator Hoeven and cosponsored by Senator Heitkamp, and they support this effort as well.
I appreciate the work of the committee and the work of Ed Schafer, and I look forward, hopefully, to a celebration of the renaming.
Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on this side. Again, I thank the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Cramer) for bringing this forward. Mr. Schafer is a great member of our community. He spends some time in my hometown every year and I have gotten to know him very well. He very much deserves this honor. I am happy to support this bill, and I ask my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1615
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleagues from Minnesota and North Dakota. I urge all Members to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2154, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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