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Thanks, but no thanksBy Seymour Klierly Well, I wasn't able to submit a column last week so one would hope that I now have better news about the status of our favorite subject, the farm bill. Let's do a little recap to refresh our memories on the state of play. The current farm bill expires on March 15th--yikes, that's in one week. Two weeks ago the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate were just starting to engage in the debate. Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid met with several of their party's committee chairmen and told them to write a bill that is $10 billion above the current funding level. That was two weeks ago, since then nothing substantial has happened. After that meeting the mood around the Hill regarding the farm bill was slightly more upbeat. Members made statements to the press that progress had been made and that, with a good bit of luck, a new farm bill would be ready in time. Shortly thereafter, the realization sank in that even though folks had agreed on a spending number, they hadn't agreed on the offsets needed to raise the $10 billion. In an effort to avoid the dreaded "v" word (veto) from the White House, Democrat negotiators asked the administration to come up with a list of acceptable offsets. After several days, the administration complied and sent over a three page memo with not only 13 offsets but also 10 policy demands. Upon word that the White House was sending over offset ideas, several insiders again hoped this was positive news and a lengthy stride toward completing a bill quickly. As quickly as the offset suggestions came, most were cast away. The administration's list included spending cuts from multiple sections of the federal budget that have nothing to do with agriculture--let alone the farm bill. Many of the suggestions had been tried before and failed to pass Congress. One such proposal is to reduce the number of months Medicare could pay for home oxygen tanks. Come on, does the White House honestly believe Congress would vote to take away oxygen tanks from seniors to pay for the farm bill? That is political nonsense and most members responded with a resounding, "Thanks, but no thanks." Empty suggestions like these contribute to the continued delay of completing a farm bill. Don't get me wrong, several of our senators and congressmen are just as guilty of slow walking the farm bill as the administration. With many crops already in the ground and harvest in southern Texas just around the corner, some see these delay tactics as hints that a few folks don't really want a new farm bill. Conspiracy theorists suggest the goal of the "stallers" is a simple long-term extension of current law. I'm not ready to hitch my wagon to that horse just yet but concern is certainly growing. At this point, there is no way a bill can be ready by March 15. I think Congress will be lucky to reach an agreement on the offsets for the $10 billion by then. Because of this, expect to see another extension, at least for a month or so. 3/10/08 Date: 3/5/08
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