Agriculture
- Posted by admin on July 15th, 2008 filed in Agriculture, Candidates, Votes
2007
Lugar-Lautenberg Farm Ranch Equity Stewardship and Health (FRESH) Amendment (H.R. 2419) This amendment would have reformed the commodity subsidy payment system to provide a more equitable safety net for all U.S. farmers and brought U.S. farm policy into compliance with international trade rules. It would have effectively redirected several billion dollars from subsidy payments to conservation and nutrition programs, including 10-year funding for the food stamp program. Failed 37-58, December 11, 2007. (Senate Vote # 417)
Senator McCain: Not Voting            Senator Obama: Not Voting
Dorgan-Grassley Payment Limits Amendment (H.R. 2419) This amendment would have lowered the limit for annual farm subsidy payments per individual from $360,000 to $250,000 and invested the savings in conservation and nutrition programs. Southern senators forced leadership to make a deal that required 60 votes for passage. Failed 56-43, December 13, 2007. (Senate Vote # 424)
Senator McCain: Not Voting             Senator Obama: Yea
Farming, Ranching, Equity, Stewardship and Health (”FRESH”) Amendment (S.A. 3711) to the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007, H.R. 2419: To broaden the agricultural safety net by making a free revenue insurance program available to all farmers and saving billions of dollars to invest in nutrition programs, specialty crop programs, critical conservation programs and the McGovern-Dole international school feeding program. It made a strong showing but was defeated 37-58 on December 11, 2007. (Senate Vote #417)
Senator McCain: Not Voting             Senator Obama: Not Voting
Klobuchar Amendment (S.A. 3810) to the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007, H.R. 2419: To reform income eligibility rules of the commodity payment system to prevent farm couples who clear $750,000 annually in household income [and part-time farm couples-those who earn more than one-third of their income off the farm-who clear $250,000] from receiving commodity payments. Savings would be redirected into conservation, rural development, healthy foods and energy programs. A procedural agreement worked out between Democratic leadership and the bill’s sponsors required 60 yes votes for passage. On December 13, 2007, it won the support of a majority-48 yeas to 47 nays-short of the 60-vote requirement. (Senate Vote #428)
Senator McCain: Not Voting             Senator Obama: Not Voting
Dorgan/Grassley Amendment (S.A. 3695) to the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007, H.R. 2419: To establish a hard cap for commodity payments at $250,000 per household per year, helping ensure that payments are targeted where they are needed; to require payments to flow to working farmers rather than their landlords. Savings would be redirected into nutrition and conservation programs. Bread for the World supported this amendment. Under the same procedural agreement as above, the Dorgan/Grassley amendment received majority support, 56-43, but failed to receive the 60 required votes. (Senate Vote #424)
Senator McCain: Not Voting             Senator Obama: Yea
