03/28/07 Iraq War & Disaster Funding

The Senate battle over Iraq war and farm disaster aid funding starts this week - amid the threat of a Presidential veto. National Farmers Union has its spring fly-in this week - with more than a hundred family farmers and ranchers expected to meet with lawmakers just in time to address much-needed disaster assistance. Unfortunately - NFU President Tom Buis says he recognizes there's still a long road ahead before the legislation that would withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq next summer and provide disaster aid becomes law. BUIS: There's many steps in the process left and this next step will be a conference committee after the House and Senate complete their work and I hope the White House sits down and negotiates seriously because they have been the ones who have not allowed us to get disaster assistance passed for the past 2 ½ years. Buis says House leaders consistently blocked disaster aid proposals when Republicans held the majority. Now - he suggests enough is enough. BUIS: Everyone has to realize rural America matters. Quit ignoring our needs out here and there's been tremendous damage, it ought to move forward. We don't care what vehicle it passes on, we just want to see it addressed. NFU's also pushing for a permanent disaster program in the next farm bill - and better risk-management tools. North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan added the disaster aid package to the supplemental spending bill in committee and refutes the President's charge the bill is larded with "pork"... DORGAN: It's not pork. It addresses weather disasters, weather-related disasters that hit our family farmers and I would hope the President would join us rather than oppose us so I'm still looking forward to having the President join us to help us get this thing done. Dorgan fully expects Senate Republicans will try to strip the Senate version's language that sets a March 31st, 2008 target for withdrawing U.S. combat forces from Iraq. Still - Dorgan says there has to be a deal to fund the troops - and he hopes agriculture will be included in it. DORGAN: It's long passed the time we should say to the President  we expect you to help family farmers where there's weather related disasters  and Mr. President, it's time to take care of some things here at home as well. The House passed its 124-billion dollar supplemental by 218 to 212 last week. It included nearly four-billion dollars in total farm help. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.