WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today released the following statement on President Trump’s joint address before the Congress:

“Tonight President Trump laid out some of the most critical issues our nation faces. After eight years under the Obama administration, President Trump is working to take our nation in a new direction towards a better economy, a stronger military, and a health care system that actually works.

“As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, I hope that the administration will go one step further and work closely with Congress to establish a strong trade policy that gives farmers, ranchers, and businesses the certainty they need to compete in the global market. Times are tough in farm country, and our producers need a robust trade agenda.

“Now that the U.S. has stepped away from TPP and we are moving toward bilateral trade agreements, there is no time to waste. The United States, with USTR at the helm, must act aggressively to hammer out agreements with countries like Japan, to make sure that our producers get a fair shake. 

“I was pleased to join the president today at the White House when he repealed the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. rule, a rule has been a thorn in the sides of rural America for too long, and I’m thrilled President Trump has taken swift action to get rid of it. I’m pleased to see the Trump Administration is actually listening to rural America with this executive action, and I hope to hear more on the administration’s plans for a trade agreement and policies that champion agriculture and rural America.”