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Lawmakers disagree on how to aid farmers
September 15, 1999 WASHINGTON -- Facing a second year of depressed commodity prices, lawmakers from farm states are in agreement that emergency aid is needed for farmers this year, but there was no consensus Tuesday on whether to change the government's long-term farm policy. Democrats are pushing for an overhaul of the 1996 "Freedom to Farm" law, which was aimed at helping farmers wean themselves from government price supports and production controls. But Republicans are resisting major changes to the law. Farm organizations also are divided over what Congress should do. "We've got a farm bill that is not working and needs to be fixed," Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-North Dakota) said at a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee. While several Democrats on the committee said farmers told them during the August recess to make changes in the law, Republican lawmakers said their farm constituents told them that 1996 law should be kept and lawmakers should work more aggressively to open markets to U.S. products. "The people in my 14 counties don't want to go back to the old days," said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Illinois). "What about fair trade and free trade, what about markets?" LaHood said concentration of beef processing among a few companies is a major concern among livestock producers, who also are suffering from European reluctance to buy American beef that has been treated with growth hormones. Pomeroy also acknowledged making major revisions to the 1996 law could be a problem. "The last thing we can afford is to get bogged down trying to fix everything forever," he said. The Senate recently passed $7.4 billion farm-assistance package that's part of a $68 billion spending bill for the Agriculture Department. House and Senate negotiators are expected to begin negotiations soon to work out a compromise bill. Farmers have come to Washington this week to lobby for changes in farm policy and to urge Congress to pass the emergency aid package. The 12th Farm Aid benefit concert was held Sunday, the first time it was held near Washington as the combination of this year's drought in the East and lingering concerns over farm legislation have spurred farmers into a new round of political activism. Hundreds of members of the National Farmers Union and other groups traditionally aligned with Democrats are scheduled to hold a rally Wednesday at the Capitol with Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) and other Democratic senators. But the nation's largest farmer organization, the American Farm Bureau Federation, is defending the 1996 law, saying current economic problems are not justification for new government supply controls, new storage programs or higher crop subsidies. What appears likely to pass this year is a measure akin to the Senate's disaster aid package, along with separate proposals for making crop insurance more attractive to farmers. The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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MORE STORIES:Wednesday, September 15, 1999
• House approves sweeping changes in campaign finance law • First lady criticizes Congress over tax cut, campaign finance • Quayle criticizes plan to send troops to East Timor • Hatch says Justice not prosecuting gun crimes • Gore, Mrs. Clinton share stage at Hispanic gala • House GOP remains split on 'patients bill of rights' • Lawmakers disagree on how to aid farmers • Clinton unlikely to act on resolution condemning clemency • Senate panel boosts money for NASA, veterans • Bill would shift money away from national jobs programs for the elderly • Republicans fear a third-party bid by Buchanan • Little suspense ahead of tax-cut veto • Bauer loses campaign head to Forbes • House passes military pay raise • Justice: Businessman to plead guilty in campaign finance probe • Poll, House GOP show resistance to e-commerce taxation • Democrats say travel reimbursement provision aimed at first lady • Seeking savings, GOP weighs tax credit delays for poor, other devices • Deputy White House counsel takes job | |||||||||