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NCGA Optimistic About Senate Agriculture Committee $7.5 Billion Emergency
Aid Package (7-26-01)
The Senate Agriculture
Committee yesterday approved a $7.5 billion emergency aid package for
farmers in the current fiscal year, championed by Chairman Tom Harkin
(D-IA).
A substitute amendment
offered by Richard Lugar (R-IN), ranking member, failed by a vote of
12-9. Lugar sought an aid package totaling $5.5 billion, similar to
what the House Agriculture Committee passed in late June.
The package approved
yesterday will provide help to program crops such as corn, as well as
to oilseeds, peanuts, sugar, honey, cottonseed, tobacco, specialty crops,
pulse crops, wool and mohair, dairy and apples. The Senate package is
expected to move to floor consideration at anytime, where Sen. Thad
Cochran (R-MS) may offer an amendment to curb the overall spending while
maintaining emergency spending for the major commodities.
Because the aid
packages passed by the Senate and House are markedly different, a conference
committee will be scheduled to craft a compromise.
"This development
places even more pressure on Congress to act expeditiously, because
any aid package approved by Congress must be done soon so that the USDA
can cut checks and mail them to farmers before fiscal year ends on September
30, 2001," said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Vice President
of Public Policy Bruce Knight.
Last
reviewed July 26, 2001
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