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TSCRA Daily News Update, April 18, 2008
Clock ticking on farm bill debate
At press time, meetings of the farm bill conference committee continue as members try to salvage the legislative package before the extension of the 2002 Farm Bill expires. Conferees are still unable to agree on the bill's spending offsets and provisions within in the Senate tax title.
The extension would give Congress additional time to resolve the outstanding issues. The House approved the one-week extension on April 16 by voice vote, and the Senate did the same Thursday afternoon. At issue is whether or not the President will agree to sign another extension.
White House sources have indicated that it will be a challenge for Congress to convince the President that any real progress is being made.
If Congress can't agree on a final package, a one-year to two-year extension will be needed to extend the farm programs outlined in the 2002 Farm Bill. Otherwise, farm programs would revert to terms outlined in the 1949 law.
House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) has said he will not support a long-term extension.
NCBA's Washington, D.C., staff are on Capitol Hill and are actively monitoring the conference discussions to ensure that issues of concern to cattlemen are addressed in the final language.
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