The House Agriculture Committee approved H.R. 6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2012, just before 1:00 a.m. this morning after a day-long markup yesterday (vote was 35-11). Lawmakers preserved $16 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamp program), defeating amendments that would have reduced or increased the cuts. The Committee also voted down a proposal to restore $50 million in mandatory funding for the water/wastewater backlog program, as well as an amendment to revive a rural broadband program.
The bill’s main policy provisions - replacing direct payment programs for farmers with a mix of price-based and revenue-based insurance, as well as increased crop insurance - remained intact.
Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), urged House leadership to schedule the bill for a vote, noting that the 2008 Farm Bill expires September 30 and only 13 legislative days remain before the August recess. However, there is speculation that the House will forgo a vote on the farm bill, allowing it to move straight to a conference between House and Senate leaders. A conference report could then be voted on by the House and Senate.
Stay tuned...
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