Election Year Politics Stalls New Farm Bill
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Election-year politics appear to have stalled the Senate farm bill.
Republicans rejected Democratic amendments that would give states more time to reduce SNAP overpayments and avoid funding penalties.
Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin says it’s about more than SNAP program costs, it’s about protecting the farm-food coalition that’s supported farm bills for decades …
DURBIN … “The winning coalition has paid off ever since. We need it again, and it has to be part of this SNAP conversation. We want to support the farm bill, I certainly do. But I want to be sure that I’m fair to my state and the people who are receiving SNAP benefits who are being disadvantaged.”
Republicans, like Jerry Moran of Kansas, say Democrats are using the SNAP debate to delay action until after the election, which is damaging trust on the committee …
MORAN … “The suggestion was, well, the Democrats aren’t going to allow us to pass the farm bill until after the election. They’re going to wait to see what the outcome of the election is. I think we need to reestablish trust that this committee is about this committee’s work.”
The committee voted 10-to-11 against advancing the bill, but the decision could be revisited in September.
Senate Ag Chair John Boozman says the delay leaves farmers waiting on issues they have no control over …
BOOZMAN … “Trying to hope that we give them some hope about an issue that they don’t have anything to do with—lousy record keeping at the state level. It’s not their fault.”
Without a political solution, except for an election, the wait continues.
