07/30/07 Hastings and McMorris Rodgers vote no on House fFarm Bill

Washington Ag July 30, 2007 Most of Washington's delegation in the U.S. House voted against the House Agriculture Committee's 2007 Farm Bill on final passage Friday. Democrats Norm Dicks and Rick Larsen were the only two Washington members voting for the legislation which passed on a 231 to 191 mostly partisan vote. Representatives Doc Hastings and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, both Republicans who represent mostly agricultural eastern Washington, voted no on the Farm Bill. Their opposition, like that of most other Republicans, wasn't over the merits of the agricultural legislation but because of a last minute inclusion of a tax on foreign companies doing business in the U.S. who Democrats said have been evading U.S. taxes. Rodgers: "I'm committed to working for policies that will help our ranchers and farmers compete, however disappointed that this legislation raises taxes on companies&.(Hastings) Unfortunately all of the good things in this bill and the spirit of bipartisanship cooperation were completely overturned by a last minute addition of a multi-billion dollar tax increase." The House Farm Bill, which now goes to the Senate, maintains the safety net for grain producers and also for the first time includes mandatory funding for specialty crops like potatoes and fruit. I'm Bob Hoff.