Trump, McConnell: Farm bill needs to pass in lame-duck session
BUSINESS RECORD STAFF Nov 20, 2018 | 8:57 pm
2 min read time
370 wordsAll Latest News, Energy, Government Policy and LawPresident Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell discussed passing the farm bill as a priority in Congress’ brief post-election session — seen as a long shot by some analysts, Successful Farming reported.
The president continues to call for work requirements in federal aid programs that are included in the legislation — a move the Senate has rejected by a 2-1 margin before.
“The president met with Senate Majority Leader McConnell and Senators [Richard] Shelby and [John] Thune in the Oval Office to discuss the lame-duck agenda, including the farm bill, government appropriations — including border security — disaster relief funding, nominations, and prison reform,” said White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley. Shelby chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Thune is part of the Senate GOP leadership and sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
“We had a good discussion about funding the government and the other year-end items, and we’re optimistic we’re going to be able to get that done, get the farm bill done,” said McConnell. “We talked about border security, and how to resolve all this, and we’re optimistic we have a way forward.”
Congress has to pass a government funding bill by Dec. 7 to avoid a partial federal shutdown. Trump has demanded money for a border wall as part of any deal.
Analysts are seeing a tough road. “Right now, I’d put the odds at 50-50,” said Caroline Kitchens of the R Street Institute, a think tank. “So far, the House leadership has not backed down on [work requirements].” Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition gives longer odds, and Alexandra Murdoch of American Forests called passage “possible but not probable.”
Nearly five dozen groups signed a letter Thursday to the Republican chairmen and senior Democrats on the Senate and House Agriculture supporting the Senate’s bill.
“Like the Senate bill, the final farm bill should strengthen anti-hunger, conservation and local food programs, support the next generation of diverse farmers, tighten farm subsidy loopholes, and reject anti-environmental riders,” said the groups, an assortment of anti-hunger, medical, consumer, environmental and farm organizations. “To achieve these priorities, Congress must commit to finalizing a farm bill that reflects the bipartisan compromise achieved in the Senate farm bill.”
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