Letters to the editor

Brumidi’s works

The Association of the Oldest Inhabitants of the District of Columbia (AOI) appreciates The Washington Times‘ comprehensive coverage of efforts to restore the works of Constantino Brumidi in the U.S. Capitol (“Restoring Hill masterpieces,” Page 1, Sunday). We believe readers would be interested in knowing that a Senate bill to award Brumidi the Congressional Gold Medal has garnered support of all 100 senators. To date, 40 of the required 290 representatives also have signed on.

The AOI, the District’s oldest civic organization, also supports efforts to name the new Capitol visitors center after Brumidi.

WILLIAM BROWN

President

Association of the Oldest

Inhabitants of D.C.

Washington

Aiding specialty crop producers

We are writing to clarify a statement made in Wednesday’s editorial “Pelosi’s farm boondoggle” regarding the fruit and vegetable industry. Fruit and vegetable producers, and specialty crop producers as a whole, do not receive direct payments, transition payments, subsidies or loan guarantees from the federal government. Instead, the $1.8 billion allocated in the farm bill will be used for important nutrition, conservation and research programs that many editorial boards, members of Congress and others are advocating for greater inclusion in the Farm Bill.

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, a national coalition of 120 specialty crop organizations, have banded together to support priorities that provide an avenue for more competition into federal farm policy with a focus on producing a safer, healthier and more nutritious food supply. We have proposed bipartisan legislation, supported by 119 members of Congress, that reflects these priorities and does not call for direct payments, transition payments, loan guarantees or subsidies.

JOHN KEELING

Co-chairman

National Potato Council

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