Dole Irate as Democrat Blocks 1-Word Farm Bill Amendment
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) ignored veiled threats today and again blocked adoption of a one-word change demanded by the Administration to prevent a veto of farm legislation approved by Congress last week.
Senate Republican leader Bob Dole accused Harkin of turning the impasse into a “big, big thing” and charged that the Iowa Democrat was “playing outright politics” with the farm bill.
Looking at Harkin, a visibly angry Dole said: “This game can be played both ways in this chamber. We’ll see.”
Harkin, who was cut off by Dole when he sought to speak in the chamber, told a news conference later that the Senate should send the bill to the White House as it was passed. Of Dole, he said, “His attention should not be directed at me but at OMB (Office of Management and Budget) and those jerks down there.”
The dispute centers on a sense of the Congress resolution included in the farm bill, which urges President Reagan to provide advance payments on loans to farmers, rather than pay them in the fall.
The resolution, sponsored by Harkin, used the word shall and the lawyers from the Agriculture Department and the OMB have insisted that it be changed to should-- or Reagan might veto the legislation.
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