GOP Bill for More Aid to Farmers Fails in Senate

The Senate on Tuesday night rejected a Republican farm bill backed by the Bush administration that would have created subsidized savings accounts to help farmers cope with drops in income.

Republicans have kept a Democratic bill bottled by refusing to allow a limit on debate. But the 55-40 defeat of the Republican alternative “sends a pretty clear signal of where the votes are” and provides momentum to the Democratic legislation, said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.).

Both bills would increase spending on farm programs by nearly 80% during the next 10 years and reauthorize farm and nutrition programs through 2006. The Democratic bill, however, would raise crop subsidies and create a payment program tied to changes in commodity prices. The GOP bill didn’t increase subsidy rates but offered farmers more money in fixed annual payments and matching deposits for individual retirement account-style savings plans.

Democrats, who control the Senate, said the GOP measure didn’t provide an adequate safety net.

Republicans say the Democratic bill would stimulate excess production and hold down commodity prices. GOP leaders “don’t want a bad bill rammed down their throat,” said Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).

A move by Democrats earlier Tuesday to cut off debate on their bill fell six votes short of getting the necessary 60.

Democratic leaders pushed their legislation through the Senate Agriculture Committee on a near party-line vote last month and have since made a number of changes in the bill to attract votes from senators from the Northeast and West.

Democrats said they would keep trying to get approval for the bill before lawmakers head home for the year.

Even if the Senate were to approve a farm bill this week, there’s no time for the House and Senate to negotiate a final version of the legislation before Christmas, said Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa).

Grassley, one of the few farmers in Congress, criticized the American Farm Bureau Federation for pressuring GOP senators to support the Democratic bill. The Farm Bureau is the nation’s largest farm organization and traditionally an ally of Republicans. Farm Bureau officials have suggested that Republicans could pay a political price for delaying the legislation.

“I’ve been a Farm Bureau member for 45 years. This is the first time I’ve seen the Farm Bureau take such a partisan position,” Grassley said.

Farm groups say Congress needs to finish work on a farm bill quickly because they fear that lawmakers won’t be willing to spend as much on agriculture programs after new budget forecasts are issued early next year.