Rick Crawford RSS Articles

Crawford: Bipartisan Farm Bill Sends Strong Signal of Support

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement this morning after the House Agriculture Committee approved H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 by a vote of 36 to 10:

“The House Agriculture Committee has worked for the second year in a row to fashion a bipartisan and fiscally responsible Farm Bill that works for producers across all regions of the country. Now that the bill has been voted out of committee, I am looking forward to securing final passage later this summer in the full House, and conferencing the differences with the Senate version before the current extension expires at the end of September.”

“The House Farm Bill reflects the regional diversity in American agricultural production, including the heavily irrigated Mid-South. The Senate farm bill takes a positive step in sharing this goal, which brings us closer than ever to a final product. When we finally enact a 5-year farm bill, producers can operate under certainty and stability as they plan their crops and take out loans to finance their operations. The House Agriculture Committee’s resounding 36-10 vote on the FARRM Act is a showcase of what bipartisan cooperation can accomplish for the good of American agriculture.”

Crawford Earns U.S. Chamber’s Spirit of Enterprise Award

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber, presents
Congressman Rick Crawford with the Chamber’s Spirit of Enterprise Award.

Washington, DC – Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1) has earned the United States Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious Spirit of Enterprise Award for the second session of the 112th Congress. The award is given annually to members of Congress based on pro-jobs based votes including reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, reauthorization of surface transportation legislation and votes that would repeal the most onerous provisions of ObamaCare.

“The U.S. Chamber is the preeminent voice for America’s small businesses. I am honored to receive their Spirit of Enterprise Award and I look forward to working with the Chamber to advance pro-growth policies that will encourage small businesses to create new jobs and ultimately grow our economy,” said Crawford.

Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber, praised Crawford’s leadership:

“In the face of high-stakes politics and difficult choices, Rep. Crawford provided America’s job creators with a strong voice in Congress,” said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber. “This award recognizes Rep. Crawford for consistently demonstrating his support for pro-growth policies.”

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children. Click HERE to learn more about Congressman Crawford.

Crawford Appointed to Special Panel Tasked with Developing Freight Transportation Improvements

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall, II (D-WV) today announced that Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) has been appointed to a special panel tasked with examining the current state of freight transportation in the United States and how improving freight transportation can strengthen the U.S. economy.

“Given that freight transportation cuts across many modes, Congressman Crawford and other panel members will play a critical role in providing recommendations on how to improve the efficient movement of goods between highways, ports, inland waterways, railroads, air carriers, and pipelines,” said Chairman Shuster. “I am confident Congressman Crawford and the members of the panel will provide the Committee with valuable insights for the improvement of freight transportation and our Nation’s economy.”

“Freight transportation is vital to the rural economy of Arkansas’s First District. Our Congressional District is home to Arkansas’s entire Mississippi River frontage and we understand the value of ports and inland waterways,” said Congressman Crawford. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on the panel to ensure our Nation’s freight transportation infrastructure can meets the demands of America’s job creators.

The Republican members of the panel are:

John J. Duncan, Jr., TN, Chairman
Gary Miller, CA
Rick Crawford, AR
Richard Hanna, NY
Daniel Webster, FL
Markwayne Mullin, OK

The Democratic members of the panel are:

Jerrold Nadler, NY, Ranking Member
Corrine Brown, FL
Daniel Lipinski, IL
Albio Sires, NJ
Janice Hahn, CA

Additional details about the panel’s first hearing on April 24th will be announced at a later date.

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children. Click HERE to learn more about Congressman Crawford.

Crawford Joins Bipartisan Group of Legislators to Introduce RFS Reform Act

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) joined Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Peter Welch (D-VT) for the introduction of the RFS Reform Act in the United States House of Representatives:

“The RFS debate is not just a debate about fuel or food. It is also a debate about jobs, small business, and economic growth. The federal government’s creation of an artificial market for the corn-based ethanol industry has quite frankly triggered a domino effect that is hurting American consumers, energy producers, livestock producers, food manufacturers, and retailers. The broad coalition of organizations supporting this legislation echo the same sentiment: the RFS is not working.”

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates that 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels be part of our nation’s fuel supply by 2022. Almost all of this is currently being fulfilled by corn ethanol. In 2011, five billion bushels of the corn supply was used for ethanol – equal to nearly 40 percent of the U.S. corn crop. While the RFS is causing food prices to go up, the RFS has not provided relief for consumers at the pump. In fact, citing the RFS, the EPA is setting the target for refiners to blend cellulosic biofuels into gasoline higher than the amount of cellulosic biofuels that exists. When these non-existent fuels cannot be blended refiners are financially penalized, which ultimately gets passed on to consumers at the pump.

“The RFS Reform Act will eliminate corn-based ethanol requirements, cap the amount of ethanol that can be blended into conventional gasoline at 10 percent, and require the EPA to set cellulosic biofuels levels at production levels. Renewable fuels play an important role in our energy policy but should compete fairly in the marketplace. This legislation will bring the fundamental reform this unworkable federal policy needs now.”

The RFS Reform Act is supported by a diverse group of more than 40 organizations, including ActionAid USA, the American Frozen Food Institute, the American Meat Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Environmental Working Group, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the Milk Producers Council, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Chicken Council, the National Council of Chain Restaurants, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the National Restaurant Association, the National Taxpayers Union, the National Turkey Federation, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, and Taxpayers for Commonsense.

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children. Click HERE to learn more about Congressman Crawford.

Crawford: Even With Arkansas Plan, ObamaCare Is Unaffordable

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1), issued the following statement regarding the so-called Arkansas Plan that would use federal Medicaid dollars to buy private insurance for low-income Arkansans:

“Arkansas state legislative leaders are doing their best to make lemonade out of lemons, and I applaud them for taking the initiative to cope with a bad situation. However, I feel the Arkansas Plan, which can only receive temporary approval at best, is destined to worsen the fiscal outlook for our state. As the reality of ObamaCare’s unsustainable and skewed funding formula becomes the subject of review as Congress grapples with the national debt crisis, states that sign up for ObamaCare, even under waivers, will find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place.

“In my view, the current un-winnable situation in which state legislators find themselves will become significantly worse if they set up a government-funded private insurance program and are forced to pull it back in a few years after the entire provider system has plugged into it. Perhaps a better approach would be to petition Congress to delay ObamaCare for two or three years and ask the hard question – isn’t it the height of recklessness to add $1.3 trillion in new entitlement spending in the middle of a debt crisis?

“I encourage all state legislators who are concerned about our nation’s debt crisis to set aside the Arkansas Plan and call on Congress to delay the multi-trillion-dollar ObamaCare entitlement program.”

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children. Click HERE to learn more about Congressman Crawford.

Crawford To Boehner: Slow Down ObamaCare

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR), sent a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner expressing his concerns over the Fiscal Year 2013 Continuing Resolution. In the letter, Crawford tells Speaker Boehner he cannot support the final version of the Fiscal Year 2013 Continuing Resolution unless steps are taken to delay implementation of the ObamaCare cost provisions that would increase deficit spending.

“I cannot in good conscience sit idle while our nation hurtles off the debt cliff. Delaying the cost provisions of ObamaCare is an important and necessary first step in our nation's road to recovery. However, given the short timeframe and the late stage of negotiations, I recognize including this in the long-term Continuing Resolution may not be possible at this time. If so, I encourage you instead to focus on passing a limited stop-gap measure that would allow time for Congress and the American people to deliberate the wisdom of rushing ahead with a multi-trillion-dollar deficit-spending entitlement program while we are in the middle of a debt crisis,” writes Crawford.

Click HERE to read Crawford’s full letter to House Speaker John Boehner

Crawford has been a consistent advocate for ending deficit spending, paying down the $16 trillion national debt and ultimately passing permanent spending controls, like a Balanced Budget Amendment, to ensure Congress cannot spend money they do not have.

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children. Click HERE to learn more about Congressman Crawford.

###

Crawford: Mississippi River Caucus Formed

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR), Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI), Congressman Stephen Fincher (R-TN), Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) along with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced the formation of the Mississippi River Caucus. The primary objective of the caucus is to provide a bicameral and bipartisan open forum for the various issues that affect the entire reach of the Mississippi River.

The Caucus will focus on a strong sustainable economy and high quality of life for communities along the main stem of the Mississippi River. By sponsoring informational briefings for Members of Congress and collaborating on legislative goals, the Mississippi River Caucus will support commerce, flood mitigation, protection, and restoration along the Mississippi River.

Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR): “The Mississippi River is the lifeline farm families and business owners in my Arkansas district rely on for commerce. The bipartisan, bicameral Mississippi River Caucus will be a united voice for the communities along the river and the challenges they face. I look forward to working with other members of the caucus to keep our ports open and goods moving up and down the river.”

Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI): “The Mississippi River plays a vital role in our economy and our quality of life not just in western Wisconsin but in all of states along its path,” said Rep. Kind, founder and Co-chair of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Congressional Task Force. “I’m proud to have worked hard on behalf of the river and the farms, businesses and communities it impacts and look forward to the bipartisan progress we will be able to make as a caucus. Ensuring the protection of the river is vital to the long-term sustainability of the entire Mississippi River Basin.”

Congressman Stephen Fincher (R-TN): “A thriving Mississippi River creates a thriving economy. Its ports are an economic driver and job creator for many communities along the river. I am excited to be a part of the leadership team in Congress working to ensure the communities along the main stem of the Mississippi River can continue providing good jobs and the harbors are able to support strong commerce.”

Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN): “The Mississippi River is at the heart of both our nations shipping and sporting industries. For hundreds of years American made goods have followed the snakes and bends down the river’s path, while hunters and fisherman have followed its shores. In order for American farmers and manufacturers to stay competitive in a 21st century world economy, we must ensure the Mississippi River continues to provide a safe, modern, efficient, and effective avenue for shipment while balancing the need to maintain its natural character for future generations of sportsmen.”

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO): “The Mississippi River is a vital artery of commerce for hundreds of millions of tons of agriculture goods and other products that are important to our national economy. We must work to maintain the river channel, which has a critical impact on jobs, income to many businesses and farmers, and the economy of the region as a whole. This bipartisan caucus will provide a platform to bring together those states along the Mississippi River so that we can encourage navigation, promote commerce, and prevent destructive floods.”

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA): “We learned a vital lesson this past fall when a potential disruption in navigation along the Mississippi threatened everything from increasing the cost to move goods to potential job losses. The river and its communities play an important role in commerce and the local economy,” said Harkin. “The Mississippi River Caucus will look at ways that the Congress can be helpful to the cities and towns along the River to improve their economies and their quality of life, and to better respond to floods and other threats. I am pleased to work on a bipartisan, bicameral basis in this effort and I look forward to the work ahead.”

The Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States, stretching 2,320 miles through the heart of our nation from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River and its floodplain are rich in biodiversity, as it is home to hundreds of different species of fish, birds, mussels, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. The Mississippi River is also a thriving economic thoroughfare in the United States with billions of tons of cargo being transported up and down the river each year, including grain and other agriculture products, coal, iron, steel, and petroleum products.

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children. Click HERE to learn more about Congressman Crawford.

###

Crawford: Budget Needs Permanent Spending Controls

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR), voted “NO” on the House Republican Budget Resolution because the legislation does not contain permanent spending controls. Crawford issued the following response to his vote:

“When I told voters in my district that I will stand firm for permanent spending controls, I was serious. I applaud Representative Ryan’s budget resolution that aims to balance the budget, but I cannot support non-binding resolutions that will be changed with each new Congress. I voted against the Republican non-binding budget resolution to bring attention to Congress’s continued reliance on policies that have clearly failed and to call on my colleagues to focus instead on passing permanent spending controls. During each of the past three decades, Congress has made numerous attempts to control spending with non-binding budget resolutions and deficit control acts yet debt has skyrocketed. It is time to wake up to the harsh reality that another non-binding budget resolution is doomed to the same failed result that previous resolutions yielded – a short-term sugar high from temporary deficit reduction followed by rapidly growing debt and entitlement spending. It is time for Congress to get serious about the debt crisis and economic growth and pass permanent spending controls that will put America on a genuine path to prosperity.”

Crawford has been a consistent advocate for permanent spending controls, like a Balanced Budget Amendment, that would fundamentally change how Congress spends money.

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children. Click HERE to learn more about Congressman Crawford.

###

Arkansas House Members Introduce Sensible School Lunch Act

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-1), Tim Griffin (AR-2), Steve Womack (AR-3) and Tom Cotton (AR-4) introduced the Sensible School Lunch Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation will provide school districts with greater flexibility in implementing new rules for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. The House bill is a companion to bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators John Hoeven (R-ND) and Mark Pryor (D-AR). The School Nutrition Association (SNA) has already endorsed the Senate bill.

“USDA’s new school nutrition regulations are not working and are leaving students hungry. In October, I hosted a Nutrition Summit in my district where I listened to school administrators, parents, nutritionists and teachers tell me how the nutrition guidelines are affecting their students,” said Crawford. “The Sensible School Lunch Act addresses the concerns I heard late last year and gives individual school districts the flexibility they need to feed their students. I am proud to be joined by Congressmen Griffin, Womack and Cotton in co-sponsoring this common sense legislation.”

“Washington’s latest top-down, factory-like approach to school nutrition is a disservice to students and an affront to parents. Our legislation is a bottom-up, natural approach that allows parents and school administrators to decide what food options are right for their students,” said Griffin.

“From state to state, from county to county, and even from school district to school district, no school, nor its students, is the same,” said Womack. “The Sensible School Lunch Act grants those who know their students best the flexibility needed to give them the most nutritious meals possible instead of having to comply with the USDA's one-size-fits-all policy.”

“As we’ve seen time and time again, a national one-size-fits-all strategy is not the answer when it comes to our school children—and their nutrition is no different,” said Cotton. “This legislation empowers local officials to interpret national school lunch and breakfast nutrition guidelines according to their students’ needs. I look forward to working with Congressmen Crawford, Griffin, and Womack as this legislation advances in the House.”

Background:

In late 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its final rule for the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, requiring new standards for school meals. The final rule strictly limits calories, protein and grains for all students. Complying with the rule exceeded federal funding by a projected $75 million a year, according to the USDA, placing greater strain on school budgets.

The new regulations produced a flood of concern by parents, students, teachers, coaches and administrators. Major concerns were the expense of the program and the lack of flexibility for those students who have nutritional needs that exceed the strict calorie, protein and grains restrictions.

The USDA categorizes students into broad grade brackets for the purpose of nutritional needs, but according to their own rule, a 13-year-old eighth grader may eat no more protein than a five-year-old kindergartener, and a 13 year old may eat only one more ounce of grain than a kindergartner. Similarly, an active 18 year-old high school senior playing football would get no more proteins or grains than a less active 14-year-old ninth grader.

The Sensible School Lunch Act would allow more flexible portions of proteins and grains in the federal school meals program, while leaving in place the rest of the regulation, including the total calorie cap and its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and non-fat dairy selections. At the same time, the total calorie cap remains in place to ensure healthy meals in proportion, and allowable fruits are increased as compared to before, and vegetable servings are unlimited.

###

Crawford Letter Demands Answers From EPA

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) is leading a group of 40 House members in writing a letter to EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe expressing concern over the agency releasing livestock producers’ private information to extreme environmental groups and asking the Acting Director to ensure the released information is not improperly used.

“I have serious concerns over the EPA’s release of this information, particularly regarding individual privacy rights and possible bio-security threats to the nation’s food supply. Releasing this type of information makes producers potential targets of harassment, or even bio-terrorism,” said Crawford. “The EPA must be held accountable for their actions and bureaucrats in Washington must consider the livelihoods of farm families and our nation’s food-security before they cower to extreme environmental groups.”

In the letter, Crawford and other House members, demand answers on why the EPA obtained producers’ private information and, most important, what steps the agency will take to protect the affected producers while ensuring these actions will never happen again.

“We urge you to suspend any efforts to assemble a public, national database of detailed and person producer information, and instead refocus your efforts to ensure that the recent release of data is not misused in a way that threatens our Nation’s producers and the integrity of our Nation’s food supply that farm families make possible.”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL LETTER TO EPA ACTING ADMINISTRATOR PERCIASEPE

###