Ag Committee's Top Republican Now Opposes
Committee's Farm Bill
Ranking Republican (and former chairman) of the House Agriculture Commitee, Robert Goodlatte of Virgina, testified before the House Rules Committee that he opposes the bill, and is requesting an "open rule" which would allow hundreds of Republican amendments to be offered, debated and voted upon.
We understand now that the Republican leadership is asking that the bill be pulled. Republicans are arguing that the proposed mechanism for providing the additional $4 billion for the farm bill from the Ways and Means Committee is a tax increase.
We've also heard that because of technical budget scoring issues, Ways and Means is finding only $3.2 billion of the $4 billion that Speaker Pelosi told that committee's chairman, Charlie Rangel, to provide. While the $4 billion technically is for an increase in the Food Stamp Program, it is really grease for the subsidy lobby's whole bill. Without that money, the overall bill will have to be recallibrated--and if more money isn't found and the full $4 billion is required, something else will have to be cut.
Here's the AP's Mary Clare Jalonick again:
Farm bill faces threats from right, leftWASHINGTON - Farm-state Republicans were threatening to defect from a multibillion-dollar farm bill in a spat over taxes, putting the measure in jeopardy as it headed to the House floor on Thursday.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, the top Agriculture Committee Republican, said GOP panel members felt "betrayed" by the plan and would vote against the farm bill if it were included.
With many Democrats already uneasy about the agriculture measure, which leaves in place and in some cases increases subsidies for major crops, Republican defections could spell defeat for the bill. Without the additional $4 billion for nutrition programs, however, Democrats would lose substantial support for the measure among lawmakers from urban districts that draw heavily on those programs.
"We believe the bill put forth by the committee misses a major opportunity," Johanns told reporters.
Approved unanimously by the House Agriculture Committee last week, the measure contains modest changes. It would ban federal subsidies to farmers with incomes averaging more than $1 million a year and stop farmers from collecting payments for multiple farm businesses. The Senate is due to begin its consideration of the legislation in September.
Johanns said the millionaires proposal would only affect about 7,000 farmers, noting that the administration has suggested limiting subsidies for those with incomes of more than $200,000. That would affect 38,000 farmers, Johanns said.
House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., swiftly criticized the administration.
Johanns also criticized the proposal by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, to pay for nutrition programs by taxing overseas businesses. Doggett is on the Ways and Means Committee, which was charged with finding the nutrition money before debate on Thursday.
A White House statement said the House bill "moves backward" and could compromise international trade negotiations.
Johanns praised a proposed amendment by Reps. Ron Kind, D-Wis., Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and others to further cut back on subsidies and steer more money toward conservation, aid for specialty crops like fruits and vegetables, and nutrition and rural development programs.
That effort has divided Democrats and caused concern among farm-state lawmakers who argue it would devastate agricultural programs and cost the party its newly won majority.
Comments
Great post. I imagine we will be glued to C-SPAN all day tomorrow! ;)
Posted by: Holly | July 25, 2007 9:04 PM