Veto-proof House vote approves farm bill
Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2008
WASHINGTON — The House passed a $ 290 billion farm bill that increases subsidies for farmers and food stamps for the poor amid rising grocery prices while sprinkling in lawmakers ’ pet projects.
The 318-106 vote for the fiveyear bill gave supporters 28 more votes than they need to override a promised veto from President Bush, who has complained that the measure is too expensive and generous to farmers now enjoying record earnings.
“A bloated, earmark-laden bill,” his agriculture secretary said after the vote.
Arkansas’ entire delegation — three Democrats and one Republican — backed the legislation.
Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas, who was presiding as speaker pro tempore for the vote, called the bill a boon to the state’s farmers.
“We as a nation have a responsibility to make certain that our farmers and the agriculture community have a sound farm policy that ensures a reliable safety-net to provide a level of stability in a volatile market,” the fourth-term Democrat said in a statement.
About two-thirds of the bill would pay for nutrition programs such as food stamps and emergency food aid for the needy. An additional $ 40 billion is for farm subsidies, and almost $ 30 billion would go to farmers to idle their land and to other environmental programs.
The Senate is expected to approve the legislation by a similar margin as early as today. If the farm bill support holds, as lawmakers expect, Congress is on track to hand Bush the second veto override of his presidency.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the measure “will drastically increase nutrition initiatives that will help 38 million American families put healthy food on their table.” Only 91 House Republicans voted against the bill, while 100 GOP lawmakers — including Rep. John Boozman of Arkansas — parted with the president.
Some Republicans criticized the bill because of a few homestate pet causes, including tax breaks for Kentucky racehorse owners and additional aid for salmon fishermen in the Pacific Northwest.
“This bill has been under consideration for a long, long time, and yet still we have earmarks that have been ‘airdropped’ into the legislation,” said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer renewed Bush’s veto threat after the vote. “I encourage members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to support his stand for fiscal discipline and the best interests of America’s farmers and ranchers,” Schafer said.
But both Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., the Agriculture Committee chairman, and the panel’s senior Republican, Rep. Robert Goodlatte of Virginia, said the bill represented a strong bipartisan compromise.
“I am very pleased that both parties cast a majority of votes for this farm bill,” Goodlatte said. “We don’t have a 2-to-1 majority. We have a 3-to-1 majority.” The bill would: Boost nutrition programs, including food stamps and emergency domestic food aid, by more than $ 10 billion over 10 years. It would expand a program to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to schoolchildren. Increase subsidies for certain crops, including fruits and vegetables excluded from previous farm bills. Extend dairy programs.
Increase loan rates for sugar producers.
Urge the government to buy surplus sugar and sell it to ethanol producers for use in a mixture with corn. Cut a per-gallon ethanol tax credit for refiners from 51 cents to 45 cents. The credit supports fuel blends using the corn-based additive. More money would go to cellulosic ethanol, made from plant matter. Require that meats and other fresh foods carry labels with their country of origin. Stop allowing farmers to collect subsidies for multiple farm businesses. Reopen a discrimination case against the Agriculture Department. Thousands of black farmers who missed a deadline would get a chance to file claims alleging they were denied loans or other subsidies. Pay farmers for weather-related farm losses from a new $ 3. 8 billion disaster relief fund.
Ross also praised the inclusion of $ 1 billion to expand production of alternative energy sources.
“This farm bill will not only benefit our farmers but every American who is paying the price for our failed energy policies at the pump,” Ross said.
“I urge the president to abandon his veto threat and recognize the importance of this worthwhile policy to both our economic and domestic security,” he said. “Our farmers deserve assurances from their government that we will stand beside them in times when market conditions are both favorable and unfavorable.” Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, speaking on the House floor before the vote, said the bill “benefits one set of farmers at the expense of another.” “It’s not too good for the cattle ranchers or the poultry people,” he said.
Congressional negotiators tried for weeks to come closer to the White House on the amount of money paid to wealthy farmers — one of the chief sticking points with the administration.
The legislation would make small cuts to direct payments, which are distributed to some farmers no matter how much they grow. The farm bill also would eliminate some federal payments to individuals with more than $ 750, 000 in annual farm income — or married farmers who make more than $ 1. 5 million.
Individuals who make more than $ 500, 000 or couples who make more than $ 1 million jointly in nonfarm income also would not be eligible for subsidies.
Under current law, there is no income limit for farmers, and married couples who make less than one-fourth of their income from farming will not receive subsidies if their joint income exceeds $ 5 million.
The administration originally proposed a cap for those who make more than $ 200, 000 in annual gross income, but later indicated that it could accept a limit of $ 500, 000. Previously, negotiators were considering a $ 950, 000 income cap on farm income.
The Senate Agriculture Committee put the bill’s final cost at $ 290 billion over five years on the basis of figures compiled this week by congressional budget experts. The bill had been estimated at about $ 300 billion. Information for this article was contributed by Mary Clare Jalonick of The Associated Press, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette staff, Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers, David M. Herszenhorn of The New York Times and Alan Bjerga of Bloomberg News.
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