Agriculture

Agriculture is a critical component of Kentucky’s economy, and agricultural products make up a large portion of the Commonwealth’s exports.

Kentucky’s farmers can count on me to make their interests and concerns a top priority in Washington.  Farmers are small businessmen and women and share a lot of the same concerns as other entrepreneurs, including excessive government regulation, taxation and private property rights.

Taxes

Taxes that are too high impede growth and investment and reduce the number of profitable farms.  Capital gains tax rates are important, as agriculture is a capital-intensive industry.

I will:

• Support permanent repeal of the estate tax or “death tax”
• Support additional, permanent reductions in capital gains taxes
• Support tax incentives for the development of renewable energy

Energy

High energy prices cause agricultural input costs to skyrocket, causing reduced profitability on the farm and less opportunity for growth and expansion of small businesses.

We need a comprehensive, all-of-the-above national energy policy that focuses on diversifying our fuel supply and increasing production of domestic fuel resources, including coal and biodiesel.

Climate Change and the Environment

I oppose the House-passed climate change bill, H.R. 2454.  A similar bill is currently being written for consideration by the U.S. Senate.  I oppose carbon taxes, cap and trade policies and mandatory restrictions on farming practices.

The EPA under the Obama Administration is radically altering the intent of Congress on several fronts, actively working against farming interests and domestic renewable fuels.  I will support legislation to remove the Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) requirements as a way to measure greenhouse gas emissions under the renewable fuels standard (RFS).

I oppose attempts by the EPA and some Members of Congress to expand the Clean Water Act to give federal authorities the capability to regulate nearly every wet area of any size in the United States.  I will support legislation and all efforts to limit Clean Water Act authority to only navigable streams and waterways that have continuous flow.

Market Access

I will support trade bills that open foreign markets to Kentucky products and services.

Private Property Rights

I will oppose any federal action that would diminish owners’ rights to use their property for legal purposes.  

Immigration and Labor

The federal government must ensure that our agriculture industry has access to the labor it needs to grow and proper.  Employers must be able to verify workers’ immigration status and must be able to pay market-based wages.  Eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape in the H-2A program should be a priority so that the program works the way it was intended.