Agricultural News
Hurry Up Strategy Puts Frank Lucas at Farm Bill Ground Zero
Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:12:18 CDT
In football, if you have just a couple of minutes left- temas will often use what is called a "hurry up" offense. With the clock ticking on the Super Committee Process of deficit reduction in this country, the House and Senate Ag Committee leadership are using the "hurry up" offense concept of writing the next farm bill- all fifteen titles of it.
Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas, the current Chairman of the House Ag Committee, is the middle of the huddle- helping make the choices that could be the farm policy law for the next five years if the hurry up strategy succeeds. He is joined by Ranking Member Colin Peterson of Minnesota from the House, and Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Ranking Member Pat Roberts of Kansas.
The reason that the leadership is very interested in this direction is that the new farm bill would be protected from changes on the House and Senate floor if it's included in the super committee's deficit-reduction plan. Under special rules for the super committee, its plan will be put to a simple yes-or-no vote in the House and Senate. No amendments will be allowed, so if a farm bill is included it can't be changed.
Phillip Brasher of the Des Moines Register wrote an excellent overview of what may be be developing in the next seven days- between now and the first of November. Click here for the Brasher article on this push for quick farm policy action.
We have an audio overview of this strategy- as well as the Coburn amendment vote that could be a moot point if the Ag Committee leadership should pull this off. Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear the audio report- featuring comments from Mary Kay Thatcher of the American Farm Bureau.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
