Instead of building off continued economic growth and proposing policies to create jobs and raise wages, the Trump administration has started a trade war that threatens to drive prices even higher for working Americans. Farmers and families across the country are already feeling the effects of these tariffs that risk their economic security and livelihood. Everyone in New Mexico – from dairy producers, to pecan growers, to small brewers – is paying the price for the president’s reckless and short-sighted actions.

Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, released the following statement ahead of the Senate vote on the 2018 farm bill. In his statement, Senator Heinrich also highlighted a new report from JEC Dems that advocates for passage of a strong, bipartisan farm bill that will strengthen rural America:

Today, Joint Economic Committee Democrats launched the sixth episode of “Opportunity Agenda,” a podcast that furthers the conversation on how to build an economic future where all American families have a fair shot at getting ahead. Episode 6, “Investing in the Rural Economy,” highlights a new report released last week by JEC Democrats that brings attention to the unique challenges facing rural communities, and provides forward-looking policies that will help rural economies thrive.

Pass a bipartisan, five-year farm bill that provides farmers and rural communities opportunities to succeed. Expand export opportunities and provide certainty in trade policy. Those policies represent two contained in a Joint Economic Committee Democrats report released last week. The 186-page report, “Investing in Rural America,” examines the current state of the rural economy and proposes policies that could revitalize rural communities.