Lucas, of Cheyenne, one of the top Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee, said, “I agree with the president that it is time to move this process to a conclusion.
“A one-year extension of the 2002 farm bill will give the (Democratic) majority a chance to settle their differences of opinion while giving farmers definite legislation to work under.’’
Lucas’ comments came a day after Bush called on Congress to extend until next year the farm policy that has been in effect since 2002. Doing so, the president said, would give farmers the ability to make “sound business and planting decisions about this year’s crop.’’
Bush reluctantly signed another week-long extension of the current farm bill to give lawmakers more time to negotiate on a new bill, but made his impatience clear on Tuesday.
Congress has until Friday to reach funding agreements that have eluded lawmakers for months. The biggest hurdle is how to pay for spending above what has been budgeted for the massive bill, which includes nutrition aid for the poor, crop subsidies for farmers and conservation programs.
Even if House members and senators could agree on how to come up with the money, there would still be division on where all of it should be spent.
In the past two weeks, much of the wrangling has been between leaders of the House and Senate tax-writing committees, rather than the Agriculture Committee members.
Bush said the proposal now being discussed by lawmakers would increase spending using tax increases and budget gimmicks and wouldn’t address the subsidy program reforms his administration has been seeking.
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he thinks the administration doesn’t want a new farm bill since it was resisting financing proposals that the White House had also used.
Members of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau came to Washington last month to urge lawmakers to approve a new bill rather than extending the current one.
Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
Leave a comment.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).
0
Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.