Ex-leader of USDA is given 2nd turn
Senators remark on Vilsack record
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to confirm Tom Vilsack as secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, enabling him to return to the job he held during the Obama administration.
U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., the ranking member on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee supported Vilsack’s nomination, portraying him as attuned to the needs of America’s farmers.
The former Iowa governor, who had the support of his state’s two Republican senators, was confirmed 927; U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, RArk., also backed him.
In a floor speech shortly before the vote, Boozman predicted the nominee would serve the country well.
“Secretary Vilsack is no stranger to the Department of Agriculture, having served as a secretary from 2009 through 2017. He has an excellent reputation, putting rural America at the top of his agenda,” the lawmaker from Rogers said.
“I’m a strong believer that past performance is indicative of future performance, so I’m confident that Secretary Vilsack will be successful this go-round,” Boozman said.
Stressing the importance of providing farmers “with certainty and with predict
ability,” Boozman said, “I look forward to strengthening my working relationship with the secretary so we can find success in supporting those that work at the department and assisting those that the department serves.”
After Tuesday’s vote, Boozman said lawmakers have had a good relationship with the new agriculture secretary.
“Secretary Vilsack has a track record of working with Congress, and today’s strong bipartisan vote expresses the Senate’s confidence that he will continue that approach moving forward,” the senator said in a written statement.
Cotton emphasized the importance of the assignment.
“Arkansas’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters need a USDA Secretary who will advocate for them through decreased regulations, good trade deals, and prompt disaster assistance,” the lawmaker from Little Rock said in a written statement. “I hope Secretary Vilsack will respect the realities facing American agriculture, and I will work with him to support Arkansas’s rural communities.” Vilsack’s return to the department is welcomed by many in the agriculture community, said Arkansas Farm Bureau President Rich Hillman, a rice farmer from Carlisle.
“To be honest with you, we’re looking forward to working with him again,” Hillman said.
Vilsack is no stranger to Arkansas. He ran with then-Gov. Mike Huckabee in the 2005
Little Rock Marathon, finishing the 26.2-mile race in 5 hours, 27 minutes and
24 seconds, the DemocratGazette reported at the time. (Huckabee finished in 4:38:31.)
He also visited the state after becoming agriculture secretary. In 2013, he spoke at the University of Arkansas as part of the Dale and Betty Bumpers Distinguished Lecture Series.
Hailing from Iowa, Vilsack understands the importance of agriculture, Hillman said.
“We’ve had the opportunity to actually meet in Arkansas with him. That was over some trade issues. He’s been accessible to our membership in D.C. He’s a known quantity to us,” Hillman said.
With the nation battling a pandemic, the agriculture community has issues that need to be addressed, he said.
“We’re still dealing with some major league effects from covid-19, especially in our row crop and livestock areas,” Hillman said.
This is the second time the Senate has signed off on Vilsack’s leadership.
Twelve years ago, he was confirmed, by voice vote on the day of President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
This time, with the Senate evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, it took more than a month, as the parties negotiated a powersharing deal.
With the chairman’s seat vacant due to the retirement of U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Boozman and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., organized the committee’s confirmation hearing themselves.
Leaving Roberts’ chair empty, they took turns wielding the gavel, enabling the committee to forward the nomination to the Senate floor on Feb. 2 despite the impasse.
The next day, Senate leaders reached an agreement; Stabenow is now the committee’s chairwoman.