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Legislation left undone as Congress takes off

Lakeland Ledger – August 3, 2012

FARM AND FOOD PROGRAMS

The Senate in June and the House Agriculture Committee in July passed similar bills to set agriculture subsidy and conservation policy and spend almost $100 billion a year over the next five years for farm and nutrition programs. But the House Republican leadership has refused to bring the bill to the floor, fearing a rebellion from conservatives, who say it spends too much, particularly for the expanding food stamp program. Fearing backlash from constituents in rural communities about failure to act on a farm bill, the House on Thursday passed legislation to revive disaster relief programs for livestock producers hit by the widespread drought. But Senate Democrats, saying that the House should be voting on a comprehensive farm bill instead of a stopgap disaster relief measure, declined to go along.

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