02-09-2002

AGRICULTURE: Senate Resumes Farm Bill Debate

As the Senate this week resumed the debate it started in December on the
farm bill, a controversial amendment was approved that could complicate
final passage. On February 7, the Senate passed by voice vote an amendment
establishing a $275,000 per year limitation on federal farm payments that
a couple can receive. Most farm groups bitterly opposed the
amendment-proposed by Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Charles Grassley,
R-Iowa-and it is likely to be a contentious issue in conference committee
with the House, which approved a payment limitation of $550,000. During
the debate, Northern-state Senators emphasized that the amendment would
affect only a handful of farmers in each of their states, but would affect
several hundred farmers in each of the Southern states. Southerners
maintained that the measure was anti-Southern. Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga.,
said: "Hold still, little catfish. All I'm going to do is just gut
you." The House voted 291-120 to approve its farm bill last
October.


Jerry Hagstrom/CongressDaily

National Journal