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May 13, 2002 Hon.
George W. Bush, President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500 Dear
Mr President:
On
behalf of the over 200,000 Grange members across the nation, I want to thank
you for signing H.R. 2646, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002,
otherwise known as the 2002 Farm Bill, into law. This legislation passed both
the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate by wide, bipartisan margins.
The 2002 Farm Bill is compromise legislation that will direct federal farm program
for the next six years. It is currently budgeted to spend more than $173 billion
on farm programs, conservation, rural development, and energy security programs
that are vital for farmers, ranchers and rural Americans. As Spring planting season
progresses across the nation, hundreds of thousands of farmers and ranchers need
to make appropriate planting, production and marketing decisions based on the
provisions of the new Farm Bill.
As you know, final passage of the 2002 Farm Bill is an important part, but not
the exclusive answer for achieving our national goal of revitalizing rural America
and returning US family farmers to prosperity. The National Grange looks forward
to working closely with your Administration to secure passage of other equally
important pieces of legislation that are vital to the prosperity of our nations
farming and rural communities. These pieces of legislation include: Trade Promotion
Authority, National Energy Security legislation, reform of the Endangered Species
Act, telecommunications reform to bring high speed internet access to all Americans,
rural health care reform, including continued access to both new and generic prescription
medications for rural Americans, and comprehensive tax reform. Thank
you for your consideration of the views of the National Grange. We appreciate
your Administration's on going support for family farmers and rural America. Sincerely,
Kermit W.
Richardson, President
National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry
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