, E&E Daily reporter
President Bush
took on the role of chief critic of the farm bill yesterday, renewing his threat to veto the bill if it raises taxes or does not overhaul farm programs.
Agriculture Department officials have been making the case for the past month that the bill must include more limits on farm payments to wealthy farmers and avoid tax changes, but before yesterday Bush had not focused on the bill in his speeches.
In remarks at the ceremonial swearing-in of Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, Bush encouraged the new USDA chief to work with Congress to craft a farm bill that avoids taxes and reforms subsidy payments.
"Congress is considering legislation now. It seems like to us it lacks reform, it spends too much money and raises taxes," Bush said. "I'm confident we can come together to get a good farm bill -- but if Congress sends me legislation that raises taxes or [does] not make needed reforms, I'm going to veto it."
Schafer said he is "looking forward to engaging in the process because I believe in the principles that were set forth for the new farm bill from the president of the United States."
The insistence to strip tax provisions out of the bill has left the administration and Congress in gridlock over the measure, which relies on some changes to tax code to offset its increased spending on energy, conservation and nutrition programs. The $286 billion farm bill would oversee food and agriculture programs for the next five years. The White House also wants lawmakers to lower the income cap to make it harder for wealthy farmers and landowners to collect subsidy checks.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said yesterday that Bush's move "to continue to take a hard line and threaten to veto a farm bill is unproductive and against the bipartisan spirit that made this farm bill possible."
Harkin added: "I urge the president to back away from this position and instead work with farm bill negotiators to come up with a bill he can sign."
The most recent extension of the 2002 farm bill bill lasts through March 15. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said yesterday that signing a new bill into law before that date is possible. He said he is working with other members of the Finance Committee to find other revenue sources for the bill.Environment and Energy Daily
