This session of Congress is coming to a close with a lot of work left on the table. Farmers are still waiting on a Farm Bill and answers around temporary disaster relief.
House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledges the need but says Congress must step with caution.
“What we’re doing right now is the important, methodical job that the House has to go through, really line by line, and assess those requests and make sure that they all are tied to disaster and not superfluous items and issues that are included. That’s what the discussion with the Freedom Caucus was about, and with other members because we have to be good stewards of the resources. We have a huge national debt.”
As work continues on the Hill, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says there has been little talk about agriculture and that has the Farm Bureau frustrated.
President Zippy Duvall says, “We’ve lost 141,000 farms in five years and no one wants to lose more. Americans overwhelmingly want congress to act: 78 percent say u.s. Lawmakers should prioritize legislation that supports farmers and ranchers. The window is narrowing for congressional action. The time is now. I urge lawmakers to stand with rural America.”
Lawmakers from Florida and Georgia, two areas hit hard by recent hurricanes, are asking their colleagues to speed up the assistance for farmers in their states. Senators Raphael Warnock from Georgia and Rick Scott from Florida have written the Appropriations Committee, saying both states have been hit hard over the last couple of years. They are asking some kind of disaster aid be included in a stopgap spending bill, which is something Congress needs to finish before December 20th.
