Grassley talks about education and agriculture

A bipartisan education reform bill is expected to go to a vote in the U-S Senate today, and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley predicts it’ll pass.Grassley, a republican, says the bill’s passage will be a big victory for President Bush who made education reform a top priority for his first year in office.As debate on the farm bill continues this week, Senator Grassley will co-sponsor his fourth amendment to the legislation.His three amendments last week were approved in the areas of: to slow ag concentration, empower family farmers and foster renewable energy development. The new amendment will set payment limitations and keep the focus on small and medium-sized farmers.The amendment will zero in on providing loan deficiency payments (L-D-Ps) to farmers not included in the current farm bill, fixing the beneficial interest rule for family farmers who may have sold their grain before they signed up for LDPs and establishing reasonable payment limitations.