Senators Scramble To Save Farm Bill

[Purveyor]

Source: The Hill

By Erik Wasson - 06/12/12 02:02 PM ET
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Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and ranking member Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) were scrambling Tuesday to save the $969 billion farm bill from failing on the Senate floor.

More than 100 amendments have been filed to the bill and more continue to pour in. Getting the farm bill to a final vote will require some agreement between Democrats and Republicans on a list of final amendments.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wants to eliminate "non-germane" amendments but his Republican counterpart, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), is arguing that the must-pass legislation is a prime opportunity to enact a GOP priority wish list of anti-regulation legislation.

While the farm bill as drafted has the 60 votes it needs to pass, according to Stabenow and Roberts, the bill could fail if McConnell decides the GOP has not been treated fairly and urges the GOP conference to vote it down.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/appropriations/232285-stabenow-roberts-scramble-to-save-farm-bill

[denverbill]

1. Add an amendment to remove "over 65" from the Medicare law while you're at it.n/t

[xxqqqzme]

3. replace it w/ 'Any

Citizen'. Medicare for ALL!

[TheWraith]

7. So the answer to how to save a vital bill is to add something guaranteed to kill it? nt

[denverbill]

9. Vital?

Preserving welfare payments to multi-millionaire corporate farms? Preserving government checks to small farmers who vote overwhelmingly for Republicans because they are for 'small government'?

Seems almost as vital to me as staving off the defense cuts.

[TheWraith]

11. You clearly have no idea what the farm bill actually is.

Here's a hint: "welfare payments to multi-millionaire corporate farms" has nothing to do with it. Among other things, the farm bill is what authorizes and funds food stamps in the US. It also sets the rules for milk pricing, funds conservation programs, regulates crop insurance, has programs to encourage local food sales, and rural infrastructure spending.

Oh, and just for good measure the current version eliminates direct subsidy payments to farmers, despite what your talking point says.

[SoutherDem]

2. It seems like if a Democrat does this there is an out cry

Just my opinion, each bill should be clean. No hanging ornaments on them like a Xmas tree.

[geardaddy]

4. Look at this shit.

"High-profile “non-germane” amendments to the farm bill include one from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), which would require the administration to report by August on the full effects of the $500 billion in automatic defense cuts slated to take effect starting next year."

Put it in some other bill, Grampy.

[cosmicone]

5. welfare for megafarmers

it keeps food costs high and everyone pays through the nose.

This bill should die.

[TheWraith]

12. No, it doesn't.

Quite the opposite, in fact. Learn what you're talking about.

[mercuryblues]

6. where is

the teabagger faux outrage about passing clean bills? No pork added to the farmbill.

[DeSwiss]

8. Farm Bill = The Monsanto, Cargill, Archer-Daniels-Midland & Dupont Enrichment Act

[Leftcoastgary]

10. Farm welfare

that the Repulicans use to keep their hold on there middle America farm states. Lets give welfare to the well to do farmers and screw those who are not farmers. Farm welfare uses tax dollars to raise the price of staples for the American family.