Cole urges passage of FY2027 agriculture appropriations bill, emphasizes domestic production and food safety

Cole urged adoption of the Fiscal Year 2027 agriculture, rural development, Food and Drug Administration and related agencies appropriations bill during remarks on the House floor, saying the measure backs farmers and rural communities while strengthening food-safety and supply-chain protections.

"When American agriculture is strong, America is strong," Cole said, summarizing the bill s a package designed to support farmers, ranchers and research to keep U.S. agriculture competitive.

Cole outlined priorities in the measure: boosting inspection resources to protect food safety and guard against foreign pests and disease; implementing investments in rural development and broadband; and ensuring access to nutrition programs. He said the bill "fully fund[s] SNAP and WIC" and increases resources for child school food programs (dollar amounts were not specified).

He also framed parts of the bill as national-security measures, saying it tightens oversight of foreign purchases of agricultural land and "strengthen[s] FDA oversight of foreign drug manufacturing facilities" to reduce strategic vulnerabilities in critical food and medical supply chains.

Cole said the measure restores focus and accountability by cutting what he described as "wasteful programs" and by eliminating "Biden era regulations," and he presented fiscal discipline as central to the bill's purpose. He thanked committee leadership and staff, noting bipartisan work between Chairman Harris and Ranking Member Bishop, and closed by urging adoption of the measure.

No formal vote or motion is recorded in the transcript extract provided.