• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Agriculture / Iowa Congressmen urge quick vote on the farm bill

Iowa Congressmen urge quick vote on the farm bill

July 25, 2012 By O. Kay Henderson

Iowa’s five congressmen are urging Republican leaders to schedule an “immediate vote” on the Farm Bill before the U.S. House takes a five-week vacation.

The three Democrats and two Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation have sent a letter to House leaders, saying the matter is urgent because while the current Farm Bill expires September 30, federal disaster programs for farmers hit by drought have already lapsed and need to be reauthorized.

Congressman Tom Latham says GOP leaders haven’t scheduled a vote yet on the Farm Bill. The annual “August recess” for congress starts August 5. The House is scheduled to be in Session for just eight days in September. Even if the Farm Bill passes the House in the next week, a compromise version must be worked out with the Senate.

“Obviously there are big differences between the House bill and the Senate bill,” Latham says. “But I think it’s important that we proceed.”

The Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill in June. The House Ag Committee approved its own version in mid-July. Latham, a Republican from Clive, is a close confidant of House Speaker John Boehner. The two men first met in 1995 when both were freshmen in congress and serving on the House Ag Committee.

“I have been doing everything possible, talking with the speaker, with the majority leader, with people on both sides of the aisle to try and get the Farm Bill on the floor,” Latham says. Another Iowa Congressman, Democrat Bruce Braley of Waterloo, authored a letter that was co-signed by all five members of Iowa’s congressional delegation.

In it, the five Iowans told House leaders “the need to extend assistance for farmers gets more urgent every day, given the worsening drought that is blanketing more than half the country.” The group argued “failure to quickly pass a Farm Bill will have a devastating impact” on the ag industry that’s already reeling from the worst drought in decades.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Agriculture, Fires/Accidents/Disasters, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Bruce Braley, Dave Loebsack, Democratic Party, Leonard Boswell, Republican Party, Steve King, Tom Latham

Featured Stories

Grundy Center man sentenced to life for killing State Trooper

Jodi Husientruit remembered 27 years after she disappeared

Iowa Supreme Court rules in Mahaska-Marion County regional airport dispute

Pheasant harvest and hunter numbers both up this year

Iowa Supreme Court overturns ruling creating constitutional abortion right

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/27/22

AJ Green signs with Milwaukee

Iowa to host Georgia Tech in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Iowa State adds a defensive back

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/20/22

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC