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.
“CONFIRMATION OF ADRIENNE WOJCIECHOWSKI” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the in the Senate section section on page S7784 on Nov. 4.
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:
CONFIRMATION OF ADRIENNE WOJCIECHOWSKI
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am pleased that yesterday, the Senate confirmed Adrienne Wojciechowski to be the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture--USDA--a role for which is eminently qualified. For more than a decade, Adrienne has been an indispensable staff member in the Senate, dedicated to supporting farmers, growing our rural economies, and tackling climate change and land stewardship challenges. Adrienne has earned deep respect from on both sides of the aisle.
Adrienne first joined my staff in 2007 and quickly became a key member of my legislative team on topics ranging from agriculture to water quality to climate change. Adrienne was immediately involved in 2008 farm bill negotiations and played an integral staff role in negotiating substantial portions of the 2014 and 2018 farm bills.
Over the years, I could always count on Adrienne's persistence, attention to detail, and sound judgement. Adrienne brought these same gifts to her work with USDA partners in Vermont, carefully building trusting relationships that enabled my legislative work to be informed by on-the-ground, State-level delivery of USDA programs.
Most recently, Adrienne has served as a professional staff member on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, managing Senators' diverse spending priorities in the annual appropriations cycle and negotiating bipartisan final bills.
I have served on the Senate Agriculture Committee since I first came to the Senate. There is an old saying that Vermont without farms would still be a nice place, but it wouldn't be Vermont. While she is not a native Vermonter herself, it has been a pleasure to see Adrienne form such deep relationships with Vermont's agrarian traditions, our farmers, and our landscape. Whether it was navigating USDA bureaucracy or rebuilding a barn after a fire, farmers and the agriculture community in Vermont knew that a call to my office would get Adrienne on the case.
Although Senate staff work behind the scenes and their contributions can go unheralded, the impact of Adrienne's dedication, her contributions to conservation policy, farm viability, and farmland protection programs can truly be seen on the landscape of Vermont and across the country. On behalf of all Vermonters, I thank Adrienne Wojciechowski for her service to the U.S. Senate and wish her the best of luck as she joins the Biden administration.
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