Alexander Votes to Support Tennessee Farmers and Protect Public Health

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement today after he voted in the Senate Appropriations Committee to approve two fiscal year 2017 appropriations bills that will fund agricultural programs, the Food and Drug Administration and the legislative branch, which includes the Library of Congress and the Government Accountability Office.

Both bills are consistent with the spending limits Congress set in the Budget Control Act and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.

“The Republican majority in the Senate is continuing to do its job by setting priorities and passing appropriations bills. These funding bills support important agricultural programs that benefit Tennessee’s farmers as well as research done at the University of Tennessee to help find ways for farmers to grow better crops. And these bills also fund the Food and Drug Administration, which touches the lives of virtually every American, and food safety inspection programs that will help make sure our food supply is safe. I look forward to continuing this work by passing these appropriations bills on the Senate floor.”

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill supports U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agriculture, rural development, and conservation programs that benefit farmers across Tennessee. Tennessee is home to more than 67,000 farms and nearly 11 million acres of farmland. The bill also includes $4.4 million for the FDA to support the Precision Medicine Initiative, which will enroll one million or more Americans to map their genomes and follow them in a long-term study in order to better understand the underlying causes of disease and to better target treatments.

The bill provides $4.78 billion for the Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety and efficacy of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, and cosmetics.

The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill; and the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill.

Source: U.S. Senator for Tennessee, Lamar Alexander