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A Bold Legislative Agenda This Month The Senate is currently considering a bipartisan amendment to the Interior Department Appropriations bill to provide upwards of $5 billion in emergency assistance to farmers and ranchers suffering from the drought. Although we hoped to pass the drought amendment this week, Administration opposition to this emergency spending has delayed a vote on the amendment until Tuesday. The bipartisan drought disaster amendment is nearly identical to legislation that has passed the Senate twice – first last November in economic stimulus legislation and earlier this year in the Farm Bill – but was opposed on both occasions by the Administration and blocked by the House Republican leadership. Despite the Administration's continued opposition, Tim Johnson and I are doing everything we possibly can in the Senate to get drought aid approved, and I'm hopeful we will pass this amendment in the Senate next week. I am also excited to push forward a bold legislative agenda this month. This week, the Senate began debating legislation to create a Department of Homeland Security. I strongly support this legislation and am working to move it through the Senate as quickly as possible. This is an historic opportunity to restructure our government so that it can do a better job of protecting the American people. Congress also must finalize and send to the President all 13 bills that fund government operations. Among other items, the Senate agenda includes pension reform, disaster aid, the final version of the energy bill, election reform, and terrorism insurance. We have a lot to do, and I am hopeful that we can have one of the most productive months ever. |
