Blunt: Bi-Partisan Farm Bill Turned Into Partisan Tax-Bill by Majority

House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement this afternoon after Democrats in the House took what was a bi-partisan piece of farm legislation and attached onto it a series of tax increases designed to discourage foreign investment in America and raise the cost of domestic energy:

"The Farm Bill emerged from the Agriculture Committee this year with a unanimous vote -- a product of hundreds of hearings, months of exhaustive research, and a bi-partisan commitment to ensuring our agricultural sector remains the envy of the world. It was a bill that took great care to address the needs of American farmers, and because of that, it was a bill I was eager to support. But that wasn't the legislation we voted on this afternoon.

"Instead, Democratic leaders took a seminal piece of farm policy and used it as a vehicle to raise taxes -- both on foreign companies who invest capital in America and create jobs here, and domestic energy producers who explore for natural gas in the deepest waters offshore. In doing that, Democrats turned a bill that would have sailed through this House and grabbed the attention of the Senate into yet another partisan campaign to raise taxes, displace jobs, and render America less competitive abroad.

"Even with that, the bill before us includes a number of good provisions -- provisions that will strengthen the family farm and ensure it remains the backbone of our nation's agricultural economy. As this bill moves on to the Senate, and at some point, comes back to the House, I will continue to support a comprehensive farm policy that recognizes the challenges and importance of modern-day farming, and unlocks new markets for producers in Southwest Missouri and beyond."

The tax hike included in the newest version of the majority's Farm Bill would raise taxes on foreign companies operating inside the United States, potentially driving millions of American jobs out of the country. These companies employ more than 5.1 million of our citizens, with an average compensation per worker of $63,428 a year.