Legislative and Government Relations: Who Should I Contact at the State and National Levels?
Table of Contents
- US House Committee on Agriculture
- US House Committee on Appropriations
- US Senate Committees Which Address Agriculture
- US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
- US Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Useful Links: Contact Information for US Congress, Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Members, & State Legislatures
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US House Committee on Agriculture
(http://agriculture.house.gov/index.shtml)
Created in 1820 the Agriculture Committee’s function was to give agricultural issues equal weight with commercial and manufacturing interest matters. The jurisdiction of the committee includes agricultural trade, agricultural research, crop insurance, the farm bill, farm credit, food safety, and welfare and nutrition programs.
The website is easily navigated by using the sidebar which includes:
- Inside the Committee which includes links to:
- Chairman’s Welcome
- Committee Members
- Subcommittees
- Publications
- Legislation
- Committee History
- Photo Gallery
- Minority Office
- Resources
- News Room
- Hearings & Testimony
- Agriculture Glossary
- Inside USDA
- Schedule
- Live Audio/video
- Email Updates
A link to the Farm Bill Homepage is prominently displayed.
The committee web site features a list of the current members of the Committee on Agriculture, with links to each member's congressional web site. The site also includes a page listing the following six Subcommittees; a description of their jurisdiction and a link to the members.
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
- Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
- Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
- Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture
The Agriculture Committee schedule of hearings is listed, and the site provides live audio to the hearings. Opening statements and official transcripts (with an archive going back to 1997) for hearings are also provided. The web site contains a separate page for House Committee on Agriculture news releases. In addition, the site contains an archive of news releases from 1999-2000. Interested individuals can subscribe to House Committee on Agriculture news releases and hearing schedules.
US House Committee on Appropriations
(http://appropriations.house.gov/)
The Committee on Appropriations is invested with jurisdiction over the federal budget and appropriates funds to the government. The page is well laid out and easy to navigate. There are four major categories with links provided to their content:
- Subcommittees
- Includes the subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (http://appropriations.house.gov/Subcommittees/sub_ardf.shtml).
- News
- Features the latest news
- Press Releases
- Events
- Upcoming Hearings and Meetings
- Events Archives
- About the Committee--includes
- Committee Members
- Appropriations Facts
- Jurisdiction
- Committee Rules
- Oversight Plan
The Committee web site features a list of the current members of the Appropriations Committee, with links to each member's congressional web site. The role and responsibilities for subcommittees is not posted at the site.
Other links provide access to: the Calendar for the committee, Bill Status, Press Releases, and Contact information.
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US Senate Committees Which Address Agriculture
There are five committees that regularly address issues that affect agriculture. They are:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee (http://agriculture.senate.gov/)
- Appropriations Committee (http://appropriations.senate.gov/agriculture.cfm)
- Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (http://commerce.senate.gov/)
- Energy and Natural Resources Committee (http://energy.senate.gov/)
- Environment and Public Works Committee (http://epw.senate.gov/)
US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
(http://agriculture.senate.gov)
A standing Committee on Agriculture was created in 1825 after Senator William Findlay from Pennsylvania pressed the issue that agriculture was equally as important a component in the economy as commerce and manufacturing.
The site is well laid out and easy to navigate. The Main Menu sidebar provides links to:
- Committee information, the Newsroom, Hearings, Legislation, Accessibility, USDA Related information, Financial Disclosures, a Search feature and Contact information.
The Committee consists of five subcommittees:
- Subcommittee on Nutrition and Food Assistance, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and General Legislation Jurisdiction
- Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology
- Subcommittee on Domestic & Foreign Marketing, Inspection, & Plant & Animal Health
- Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support
- Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit
Current issues of importance are prominently displayed and linked on the page.
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US Senate Committee on Appropriations
(http://appropriations.senate.gov)
The Committee on Appropriations is invested with jurisdiction over the federal budget and appropriates funds to the government. The Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriates funding for the Department of Agriculture (except Forest Service—Subcommittee on Interior); Farm Credit Administration; Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation; Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Food and Drug Administration (HHS).
The site is well laid out and easy to navigate. The Main Menu provides links to:
- Members
- Subcommittees
- Press Room
- Jurisdiction
- Hearings/Testimony
- Legislation
- Committee History
- FAQ
- Financial Disclosures
Current issues of importance are prominently displayed and linked on the page.
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Useful Links
- Contact information for US Senators
- Member List: Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
- Contact information for US Representatives
- Member List: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- LawResearch Directory of State Legislatures