Farm Bill Tweak AFBF
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley predicts the House will pass its farm bill soon, but the Senate may have to skip a committee markup.
Grassley expects the House to move in just weeks on the farm bill that the House Ag Committee recently passed 34-17 with seven Democrats in support …
GRASSEY … “It’s my understanding, maybe in a couple, three weeks, and that would leave out the Easter recess, but three or so weeks of Congressional action, the House will pass it.”
Once the House acts, Grassley says the best option for the Senate may be to skip committee action …
GRASSLEY … “The route we may have to take here is to just leave the House bill at the desk and work off the House bill.”
Though Grassley admits he can’t speak for Senate Ag Chair John Boozman, whom he says is working on a farm bill.
And what about the president’s vow not to sign any bill except Homeland Security funding, until his citizens-only voting bill, the SAVE Act, is passed …
GRASSLEY … “I think the president has to realize that what he’s saying can’t be realistic, unless we have 51 votes to pass the SAVE Act.”
And SAVE first needs 60 votes just to overcome a Democratic filibuster, a process Senate Majority Leader Thune won’t short-circuit.
Separately, Grassley was asked if U.S. forces and the president’s reinsurance plan are enough to get tankers through the Strait of Hormuz …
GRASSLEY … “It’s going to happen when there’s certainty, the Iranians can’t sink a ship and close down the Strait of Hormuz.”
Until then, fuel and fertilizer prices could stay high, though Trump insists they will come down once the war with Iran ends and oil starts flowing again.
