In the News in Last Month Part 2

In the News in Last Month Part 2

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Thank you very much. Now, I’d like to recognize Miss Sykes from Ohio. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the witness for being here. I will say your expertise is energy, and I would hope that you would not invoke the words of Doctor Martin Luther King without adequate context because, quite frankly, that is not your expertise. But since you want to talk about people unqualified and meritocracies, let’s talk about President Trump. Do you feel like your positions and policy statements are in line with President Trump? Yes, I hope so. Do you love inflation?

I love ending Iran’s ability to have a nuclear weapon. I think that’s thank you. That was not my question. Do you love inflation, yes or no? I love ending Iran’s. That is not my question. Do you love inflation, yes or no? No, I would prefer lower inflation.

You prefer low inflation. Do you know that your boss, essentially President Trump, just stated that he loved inflation? He’s a entertaining, hyperbolic guy who’s done tremendous leadership and unbalance is driving. So it sounds like we’re unaware that the President Trump just mentioned that he loved on inflation. And I certainly don’t want to get you in trouble with your boss, but it sounds like you don’t love inflation, but he does. But let me ask you this other question. Are you aware that the United States was taking millions of barrels of gasoline from Iran in the Strait of Hormuz? That is not the question that I just asked you. Were you aware that the United States has been taking millions of gallons of oil from the Strait of Hormuz? Just not sure. Taking is the right word. We’re preventing the flow of it. Well, thank you, Mr.

Chair, if I may, can I play some audio from some comments that President Trump made in the Oval Office? OK, the numbers were. I don’t think we’ve heard that. I love the inflation. You know why? Because as soon as this war is over, you know, I can say it. Now, something you didn’t know. Do you know we’ve been taking out. Let’s suspend. Let’s suspend that Barry’s of oil. Nobody knows it. You know who doesn’t know about it? Iran. Until right now. No, Mr. Secretary, it seems like you didn’t know about this either. So why would the United States be taking out millions of barrels of oil from Iran? Well, it’s essential that we prevent oil sales from generating revenue for Iran to to spend to develop nuclear weapons and oppress. Mr. Secretary, I understand this might be an uncomfortable line of questioning and you don’t want to do it, but you are not answering my question. So I’m going to ask you again, and I’m going to hope that you will answer it honestly. Did you know that the United States was taking millions of gallons of oil from Iran? I’m unaware.

So do you think that the president is lying based on the audio that you just heard? And I will send it to you in case you say you didn’t hear it. Oh, no, I do not think the president’s lying. I think the president’s talking casually about our efforts to stop the flow of Iranian war is casual. Do you think that it is appropriate to talk casual casually about war? I think you talk to all different audiences and you talk in all different styles. But I don’t I don’t have any serious objection to what he said. You don’t have any serious objection for someone talking about war casually. Do you have that objection? There are 13 service people who are dead. There are hundreds more that are injured. But you, we should be talking about war casually. He treats this war deadly serious and he has worked tirelessly on this war. Mr. Secretary, you just said that he was a he was speaking casually about this. He was. It is 20 hours a day. He’s speaking 20 hours a day in different styles for different audiences. He is the president of the United States of America.

He is the commander of chief who is responsible for 13 service members who have died and hundreds more who are injured. So you mean to say to me, testifying in front of this committee in the United States House of Representatives, that it is appropriate for the commander of chief to talk about war casually? He speaks candidly, openly and honestly. I think all of America benefits from that. Well, I appreciate your attempt to protect your boss and to keep your job. But let me be very clear with you. It is not appropriate to talk about work casually. He is clearly keeping you in the dark about what he is doing in Iran. And now you are sitting here in this committee unaware that the president just made an announcement about millions of barrels that they have taken from Iran and stated in that very, very clearly. People don’t know. But now we get to know him. But unfortunately, he sent you here and you didn’t know it, Which is your response to that? I’m very proud to serve with President Trump. He’s been tremendous leadership in a time of great stress. Right now. I’m proud of what he’s doing, proud to be part of the team.

Well, I I would not be proud if my boss sent me up Schitt’s Creek and left me here in a committee without adequate information and speaking casually about war. That is a horrible place to be. And I’m so sorry that you have to defend that. And a woman’s time is retired. I’d also remind the gentlewoman that there was 30, exactly 13 US service members killed at Abbey Gate and the disgraceful withdrawal from Afghanistan. Who’s next?

Senator Warnock? Thank you, brother Chairman, and good to see you again. You too, Senator. Secretary Rollins, I’ve heard you say that we’re entering the, quote, golden age of American agriculture. I, I have to tell you that that statement could not be further from what I’m hearing from farmers and from families all across Georgia.

Georgia farmers are telling me that they continue to struggle with high cost costs exacerbated by President Trump’s war in Iran and his tariffs, which is a tax on all of us, on virtually everything. Secretary Rollins, last week the administration did lower its tariffs on farm equipment by 10%. I think that’s a good move. It’s a start. I’m afraid that it might be a little too late and a little and a bit too little was this action and acknowledgement by the Trump administration that it’s tariffs have increased the cost of farming. So I, I really appreciate the question. I think the president as our chief negotiator is constantly tweaking. But what I will say, and, and I realize you’re not could have a much longer conversation about this, that the very tariffs that you’re Speaking of have instituted or LED to the 19 new trade deals that we’ve implemented.

We’re going to have higher corn exports, higher ethanol exports, higher tree nut exports, higher dairy exports then practically in American history. So we’re cutting that $50 billion agricultural trade deficit in half that we inherited a year and a half ago. And for the farmers, nothing’s more important than that market access. Has it increased the cost of farming? You’re, you’re, you’re forecasting what you I think will be the result, but has it increased the cost of farming? Well, again, the cost of fertilizer was up almost 100% in the, in that what we inherited the cost of doing business on average, I won’t go through all the numbers, we don’t have time, but on average what we inherited was a 50% input cost. So working, we brought all of that down. As to the farm equipment, I think the president is very focused on what can we do to get our farmers to profitability. It’s a national security issue. So if by removing certain barriers we can bring down the cost just a little bit, then that’s a big win for everyone.

What he has said, though, is that what he doesn’t want to see happening is the equipment manufacturers pocketing that extra dollar, which a lot argued would actually be the result that the farmers themselves would not see it. So as part of that announcement, it was to make sure the farmers got that, that benefit. Not so. So according to Farm Policy News, the president’s tariffs have increased input costs by $1 billion for farmers while erasing billions in access to export markets. Markets that you you’re saying are going to come online and farmers just hold on a little while longer. But they’re they’re struggling. They are struggling right now. There’s no question about it. I talk to them all the time. Since the Supreme Court struck down the President’s illegal tariffs, giant corporations have lined up to receive tariff refunds. Madam Secretary, are you pushing in cabinet meetings for farmers to also be reimbursed for the billions in tariff taxes that were passed on to them? Well, again, the tariff taxes passed on to them.

They we now other than a $50 billion AG trade deficit, we’ve cut that in half. So we’ve opened up 20 plus billion dollars in additional sales for our farmers under this trade negotiations. I’ll be happy to look into that. I’m actually, I think that’s, I’ll talk to Secretary Lutnick. I’m not familiar with all the corporations lining up, but I will look into that, Senator. All right. So, so and, and it’s not just the tariffs and, and, you know, you’ve been the, you know, you and I have talked before and I’m, I’m, you know, trying to make sure that I’m doing everything I can for farmers and families in Georgia. So concerned about the ways in which that they’re struggling. It’s planning season and it’s a business, as you know, where the margins are narrow to begin with. And, you know, there’s not, there’s so many things that they don’t control. And so these margins become really important when you’re talking about tariffs. But it’s not just the tariffs.

The Strait of Hormuz has been closed now for over 100 days. And President Trump’s war in Iran has destabilized international fertilizer and fuel markets, skyrocketing costs right in the middle of planting season. Is the administration planning to ask Congress for more taxpayer, more taxpayer money to aid farmers so that they can afford the cost of this war? Well, the, the war the worst. So I, I know what you’re asking. So yes, let me respond to that directly. And, and specifically fertilizer and diesel fuel have been the two, I think that we’ve seen significant increase in cost since the straight was closed. But what I think is important that the fertilizer costs that were inherited increased almost 100%. That’d come down 50% before the Iranian conflict. The cost went back up with the Strait of Hormuz closing. Those costs are still lower than the High Peak of the Biden years for fertilizer. Having said that, there’s still tremendous amount to work. By the way, that’s the same for diesel fuel as well. I come down 50%.

Iranian conflict happened, it popped up. It’s still lower than during the Biden years. But but yes, opening up the markets, reassuring fertilizer back to America in in two or three weeks, we’re going to break ground in Louisiana on what will be the largest fertilizer plant in the world in the last couple. Let me just point out. Let me just let me just point out because it’s it’s really important that that context matters that the High Peak of the fertilizer ’cause we were in the middle of a pandemic, which, you know, we didn’t have any control over it. It’s one thing to have high fertilizer costs because of those kinds of extraneous circumstances. The president took us into a war of choice which blocked the the Strait of her moose. And as a result of that, farmers in Georgia are struggling with both increased fuel and increased fertilizer costs. But it’s not just farmers that I’m concerned about. I’m also concerned about Georgia families.

According to the USDA, grocery costs increased about 3% in the last year and expected to increase by another 3.2% this year. And at the same time, this administration has celebrated kicking 3.5 million Americans, including children, off SNAP, a program designed to help our most vulnerable neighbors afford groceries when times are rough. And those dead neighbors, by the way, are disproportionately in red rural districts. Those communities are struggling. You’ve supported a packages for farmers hurt by Trump’s policies. Would you also support a food aid package for working families who are just struggling to afford groceries due to increased costs? So, Senator, the 3% is actually an average cost of food increase over the years under the last administration went up 20%. But the SNAP, I think is really, do you realize, Madam Secretary, with all due respect, how sterile that answer sounds for the person who’s just who’s trying?

You say, well, you know, that’s the mean cost, but right now somebody’s trying to buy groceries in Georgia and they can’t afford it. Well, but that’s because of the Biden administration. Is the reason two years later, that’s your answer because of the Biden administration. Look at this. Look at all the prices that have come down. Avocados down 20%, berries down 13%, butter down 13%, eggs down 90. Grocery, grocery costs are up. You, you don’t dispute that, right? Even as you call these individual items, you don’t dispute the grocery costs are up. And the affordability question in America is real and the work to bring those costs down continue And within one year, the costs have significantly come down with a few outliers, coffee, beef, etcetera. But on the SNAP program, Sir, no one, no one in Washington or in America wants to see a family go hungry. But the 40% increase in SNAP under the last administration, the four you said 3.5, it’s actually 4.3 million that have moved off of SNAP. No one was kicked off. We have more people working today than ever before.

This is a celebration of work and the dignity of work and wages are higher than they’ve ever been before. No one has been kicked off. If they’re not on the SNAP program they have chosen, chosen not to reapply or they’re an able bodied adult that can either work for 20 hours a week or volunteer. Those are the only requirements. Anyone with small children is not not eligible for. They’re they are they are wages you say are you say are going up? The cost of certainly going up. Healthcare has been doubled from millions of Americans and they have they’re having to figure out how to make their lives work in the midst of this, many of them choosing between food and healthcare. Will you reinstate the $500 million in funds the food banks the Trump administration cancelled last year or do you have an alternate plan to help to keep their their stocks, their shelves stocked? Listen, we have moved out I think a couple of billion dollars into the into the pantries in the last year and a half.

I know Secretary Rubio said the government is not a charity. We spend $400 million a day on nutrition programs just out of USDA. There is so much money in the system, so much taxpayer dollar. And that’s just the federal USDA nutrition programs, that’s not state or local. We’ve got to figure out how to do it better. We’ve got to figure out how to get it to the people who really need it, the Georgians, as you say, and all across the country. And that’s what we’re working to do. I, I, I would respectfully disagree with your characterization of regarding SNAP. There are a lot of children’s all across Georgia who are suffering families trying to put it together. And I think we can do better than that. The very young children, they’re, they’re available. So I, I appreciate that too and I appreciate the opportunity to actually have a civil conversation about it. Of course. Thank you, Sir. Thank.