Tuesday's farm bill conference had to be particularlyunpleasant for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin. During last Thursday's(April 17) conference, the Senate Agriculture Committee chairmanthreatened he'd begin calling votes at the next meeting. TheHouse made sure that didn't happen.
The senate "proffered (an offer) to the House lastThursday," said Harkin. "We were looking forward to aresponse from the House ... That if they brought somethingback, we'd start to vote.
"I still want to do that. But without an offerthere's not much to be held in the way of voting. But at somepoint, we're going to start voting on some issues aroundhere."
Collin Peterson, House Agriculture Committee chairman, latersaid the House was "still perusing" the Senate'soffer.
Congress' inconsistent work schedule -- the Houseisn't in session on Friday -- is also working againstthe new bill. Last week, President Bush
reluctantly signed ashort-term extension of current law that expires Friday (April25).
"So it looks like we'll have to have anotherextension (of current law)," said Harkin. "ButI'm not certain what will happen (if Congress asks for one).I have received no information from the White House. They'vesaid before they wouldn't" allow another extension.
Harkin was then handed, and read, a "hot off thepress" statement from President Bush
"I'm disappointed that Congress has failed to putforward a good farm bill leaving farmers and ranchers in a state ofconfusion and uncertainty as to how they'll be affected byfederal policies.
"The farm bill proposal currently being discussed byconferees would fail several important tests I've set forth.With record farm income, now is not the time for Congress to askother sectors of the economy to pay higher taxes in order toincrease the size of government. The proposal would increasespending by at least $16 billion -- masked, in part, bybudgetary gimmicks and funded, in part, by additional taxrevenues.
"These tax revenue provisions are unacceptable, includingtax compliance initiatives being considered by the House and Senateconference committee. It's important that the proposal alsolacks the important reforms I've repeatedly called for.
"After last week's short-term extension of the farmbill, Congress now has only four days to provide certainty toAmerica's farmers and ranchers. Despite the passage of morethan a year since my administration unveiled a responsible andforward-looking farm bill proposal, there are no signs theconference committee will reach an acceptable farm bill byFriday.
"I therefore call on Congress to provide agriculturalproducers with the certainty to make sound business and plantingdecisions about this year's crop by extending current law forat least one year."
Bush's statement doesn't categorically rule outanother short-term extension, Harkin pointed out. "He'scalling on us to extend it for one year. I know there are some whofeel that might be the best thing to do -- maybe that'swhere we'll end up...
"I think the agriculture portion (of the farm bill) isbasically done. There are some little things that might take somedebate. But we're basically done."
Peterson said the House "is still trying to come to aresolution amongst ourselves in terms of $10 billion in offsets.We've got more work to do."
One thing Peterson was sure of: a one-year extension "is abad idea and isn't an acceptable outcome. Frankly, this kindof stuff out of the White House isn't helpful. I guess theycan say whatever they want. But for those of us who want to get afarm bill done, this isn't helpful."
Agreeing with Peterson was Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss, rankingmember of the Senate Agriculture Committee. "A one- ortwo-year extension -- whatever is being floated around --isn't the way to go. As long as the dialogue is open, theopportunity is there to get together. "This has been veryfrustrating, I know, for both (the House and Senate) ... Ourfarmers and ranchers are beginning to not just make plans butbeginning to plant. The pressure is on us. If we can showsignificant progress in the next 24 hours, I think there may be anopportunity to look the President in the eye and say 'Give usone more chance.'"
Still, a one-year extension "is a reality we face,"said Montana Sen. Max Baucus, Senate Finance Committee chairman."Another, of course, would be to do something within thejurisdiction of the agriculture committees. This is still beingheld up by the fact people are asked to make some tough decisionsabout how to pay for things outside their jurisdiction."
After discussions on several titles, the meeting adjourned afterlasting just under an hour. The conferees are expected to meetagain late Wednesday afternoon.Southeast Farm Press
