US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, pictured in Omaha on March 28, 2024, raised concerns Wednesday about U.S. House Republicans’ proposed farm bill. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)
WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in a conference call with reporters Wednesday, sharply criticized a farm bill written by U.S. House Republicans, saying it would undermine the coalition that has traditionally coalesced around farm bills. farm bill and “would increase the real possibility of being unable to get a farm bill through the process.”
The massive five-year legislation governing agricultural, nutrition, commodity and conservation programs is scheduled for review beginning Thursday morning in the House Agriculture Committee, led by Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson , a Republican from Pennsylvania.
Already appear going for a confrontation with a proposal in the Democratic-controlled Senate amid disagreements over anti-hunger and conservation programs. Furthermore, the bill that must be approved faces a House with a slim majority of 217-213 Republicans.
Vilsack expressed frustration that work on the $1.5 trillion measure has been delayed for eight months and said he has “deep concerns” about the proposed package released by Thompson last week. Lawmakers fighting over spending and the House speakership last year approved an extension of the 2018 farm bill, which expires on September 30.
“I appreciate the fact that people are working hard. I appreciate the fact that they listened to the people in the country,” said Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa.
“But I fear that what we have is a circumstance where the proposal put forward by the House of Representatives, by the Republican members of the Ag Committee, is really designed not to create a through route… I think it is designed, unfortunately, for gridlock en route, which will cause further delay.”
Nutrition cuts, disaster programs
Vilsack said he opposes provisions that would reduce spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food assistance to more than 40 million low-income families.
By limiting future updates to the Economic Food Plan, the basis for benefit levels, the bill’s reductions would amount to $30 billion over 10 years, the liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said. estimated. Vilsack estimated the number at $27 billion.
“It’s clear that historically there has been a coalition that is central to passing the farm bill, that understands the importance of addressing nutrition programs and agricultural programs,” Vilsack said. “This is essentially a rift in the coalition that is absolutely necessary to pass the farm bill… The fact that we are crossing that red line raises the real possibility that we may not be able to get a farm bill through the process.”
He said he also has issues with a section of the House bill that deals with the Commodity Credit Corporation, which runs several agricultural programs.
The legislation would restrict the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s authority to use Section 5 of the CCC, which Vilsack said would tie the agency’s hands in responding to natural disasters that affect farmers and force the USDA to rely on Congress to approve assistance to catastrophes.
“There is no guarantee that such projects will be approved,” Vilsack said. “And second, Congress often underfunds these bills, as was the case recently with the 2023 disaster situation.”
He said Thompson is proposing to “essentially eliminate the Agriculture Secretary’s ability to utilize the CCC in the face of a natural disaster, for example, that distorts markets.” He also said he believes the project overestimates the savings that would be obtained.
Vilsack said he prefers a proposed agricultural law offered by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat from Michigan, describing it as “more practical” and “feasible.” Stabenow, who released a summary of his bill but not the text, would increase eligibility for nutrition programs like SNAP, among other provisions.
President defends proposal
Thompson, in a statement after the call, rejected Vilsack’s comments and said his bill makes “historic investments” in agriculture.
“It is clear from this last-ditch effort that the Secretary is determined to use every penny of the borrowing authority made available to him to bypass Congress if left unchecked,” he said. “The Committee is reaffirming Congress’s authority over the Commodity Credit Corporation, which will control reckless administrative spending and provide funding for key bipartisan priorities in the farm bill.
“The sudden acrimony over using the CCC as a form of payment is nothing more than the latest partisan attempt to divide our committee and slow progress on passing a farm bill.”
The commission in a press release Wednesday also listed several statements praising Thompson’s proposal, including the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, the CEO of the National Conference of State Legislatures, the CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and leaders from several commodities and business. groups.
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