Sanders: House Republicans Leadership Surrenders on MILC Program Extension

SANDERS: HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP SURRENDERS ON MILC PROGRAM EXTENSION
11/18/2005

Speaker Agrees to MILC Extension in Response to Growing Pressure from Sanders/Bipartisan Coalition

Washington D.C.-Rep. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) announced today that it appears that the House Republican leadership has been forced to drop its opposition to an extension of the MILC program to 2007. Sanders and the bipartisan, multi-regional coalition that he helped create with Rep. Dave Obey (D-OH), and that includes Northeasterners, Southerners, and Upper Midwesterners, has been putting increased pressure on the House leadership to support the extension. Recently, 50 members of the coalition signed a letter, co-authored by Sanders, demanding that the MILC program be extended until the scheduled reauthorization of the Farm Bill. In recent days, the Republican leadership, finding itself dangerously close to losing some controversial votes, was forced to agree to the MILC extension in order to secure the Republican votes it needed.

Sanders said, "This just shows the success you can have when you put together the kind of effective bipartisan coalition of members from the Northeast, the Southeast, and Upper Midwest that we have been creating in the House. Instead of supporters of family farmers from various regions fighting against one another, we are working together and the results at this point are very, very positive. While it's never over until it's over, it appears the House Republican leadership has been forced to drop its opposition to a MILC extension. This means family farmers will have the MILC program safety net restored if and when prices fall again."

The MILC program was passed as part of the 2002 Farm Bill and was largely created by the Vermont Congressional delegation following efforts by Sanders and a group of Northeastern and Southern Members to reach out to former Dairy Compact opponents in the Upper Midwest, led by Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI) to create a united, pro-family dairy farmer front in the United States House. The MILC program is heavily targeted to small and medium sized farms. Since its inception it has provided $2 billion in assistance to dairy farmers nationally -- $45 million in the state of Vermont alone.

House Speaker Hastert (R-IL) signaled his change of heart in a letter to Rep. Mark Green (R-WI), who himself originally voted against creation a new safety net for family dairy farmers during the 2002 Farm Bill debate but who has since become a supporter. The Speakers' letter indicated that he would instruct House members of a House/Senate conference committee dealing with the controversial reconciliation bill to consent to language in the Senate version that reauthorizes a modified version of the MILC program. The Senate language was included due to the efforts of Sen. Leahy (D-VT), who is a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, with the support of Sen. Jeffords (I-VT).

http://bernie.house.gov/documents/document.asp?issueNum=4658