Light at the End of the Farm Bill Tunnel?

Statement

Light at the End of the Farm Bill Tunnel?

Since January of last year, Congress knew the deadline to reauthorize the Farm Bill. Unfortunately, time and time again we have had to extend the deadline, to the detriment of our nation's agriculture producers.

The federal Farm Bill covers a broad range of agricultural policies and programs, including price and income support, farm credit, agricultural conservation, rural development, and foreign and domestic food programs - like food stamps. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, one of my main goals has been to build support for a bill which protects American agriculture and provides for our future.

What should have been a bipartisan process, including input from both sides of the political spectrum and all regions of production agriculture, has become a roadmap on how to ignore deadlines and how not to serve our agriculture producers.

The most recent Farm Bill reauthorization was signed into law on May 13, 2002 and was set to expire on September 30, 2007. On July 27, 2007, the House passed our version of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) by a vote of 231-191. On December 14, 2007, the Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill by a vote of 79-14.

Unfortunately, this was where progress on the Farm Bill ground to a halt. As the days turned into weeks I, along with several members of the House Agriculture Committee, called for a twelve month extension of the Farm Bill, to allow producers in Nebraska and throughout the country to begin planting with a degree of certainty of a federal Farm Policy to continue their operations.

However, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, which was signed into law on December 26, 2007 - several months after the Farm Bill's original expiration date - provided a three month extension, which was scheduled to expire on March 15, 2008. On March 12, the House passed another Farm Bill extension, this one lasting through April 18.

Finally, on Wednesday, April 16, the House passed a week-long extension to the 2002 Farm Bill (followed the next day by the Senate) which will hopefully provide enough time to finish the work on the bill, pass it through the House and Senate and get it to the President for his signature.

If not, I'm afraid we will see another deadline come and go.

The biggest obstacle preventing real progress on a Farm Bill has been funding. This is not a new problem, but until now there hasn't been much willingness to move toward a resolution agreeable to the House, Senate and President.

After earning bipartisan backing, a variety of revenue raisers were added to the House's version of the Farm Bill, causing many of my colleagues to withdraw their support. These last minute additions very nearly upending what had been a very bipartisan effort.

Recently, the House of Representatives passed a motion by the vote of 400-11 opposing any provision which would result in a tax increase. It should be clear - tax increases should not - and need not - be used to fund this Farm Bill.

In order to get a bill which will have the support of the House, Senate and White House, we need everyone at the negotiating table to continue to work toward a common goal.

By continually pushing back deadlines while wrangling over petty issues, Congress is doing a tremendous disservice to our farmers and ranchers who need the certainty provided by the legislation. I remain committed to working with both parties to ensure the final product will be worth the wait.

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