Amid press reports regarding jurisdictional concerns over the farm bill, Senators Baucus and Grassley today reiterated their commitment to completing legislation for America’s farmers in the coming weeks. The Senate Finance Committee wrote and holds jurisdiction over a number of elements of the Senate-passed farm bill having to do with tax and trade issues - as the Committee holds sole Senate jurisdiction over U.S. tax and trade policy. The leaders and members of the Senate Agriculture Committee overwhelmingly voted to approve the entire bill last December.
Baucus and Grassley, who are the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Finance panel as well as members of the Agriculture Committee, said today that the Finance Committee’s proper exercise of jurisdiction over provisions such as disaster relief funded by agricultural tariffs and the conversion of some farm payment programs to tax credit programs should raise no opposition to completion of strong farm legislation.
“Farmers know that it takes everyone working together to bring in the harvest. America’s farmers need their leaders in Congress to work together on the farm bill. They need us all to do our parts, and get on with the work of producing our ‘crop’ - in this case, strong legislation that helps our farm families and keeps America’s agricultural system first in the world," the Senators said. “For the sake of America’s farm families, we in the Senate should acknowledge our shared responsibility to complete this bill, and all pull together to get it done."
Positive negotiations continue on offsets for the farm bill.
Source: Ranking Member’s News
