Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company The New
York Times
December 14, 2001, Friday, Late Edition -
Final
SECTION: Section A; Page 27; Column
1; National Desk
LENGTH: 370 words
HEADLINE:Farm Bill Stalls as
Senators Criticize Subsidies
BYLINE: By
ELIZABETH BECKER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON,
Dec. 13
BODY: A new Web site listing
all the subsidy payments made to American farmers over the past five years is
playing havoc with the politics of the farm bill and helped to
stall it today in the Senate.
After several days of
debate, one of the chief objections to the $171 billion, 10-year bill has become
what opponents describe as unfettered farm subsidies to some of the country's
wealthiest farmers.
Republican lawmakers easily
prevented the Democratic bill from coming up for a final vote today, and they
were lining up to offer amendments limiting payments when the bill is
reconsidered next Tuesday.
In most cases they were
joining Democrats who are also trying to impose limits in a political duel that
many argue has little to do with a sudden concern about equality.
But with the information about farm subsidies now
available, along with the names of the wealthy farmers who benefit the most,
lawmakers from both parties are using it to bolster their arguments.
Republican senators want some subsidy money used for
insured savings accounts available to all farmers. Democrats would accept
payment limitations as long as environmental programs were preserved.
Senator Don Nickles of Oklahoma, the second-ranking
Republican, cited the Web site -- ewg.org, operated bythe nonprofit
Environmental Working Group -- in describing why he and many other lawmakers
were seeking strict limits to subsidies for grain and cotton farmers, who get
the bulk of the money.
"There are people already making
millions of dollars," said Mr. Nickles, who said he spent a good part of
Wednesday evening examining the Web site, which posted the information five
weeks ago after retrieving it through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Democrat of North Dakota, is
leading his party's effort to limit the size of payments so that a few farmers
do not receive most the subsidies. Instead, more farmers could benefit through
other programs, particularly those that promote conservation.
"I think this farm bill is more about politics than
substance," said Senator Harry M. Reid of Nevada, the Democratic whip. "The
Republicans are delaying the bill to hurt our senators from the farm states."
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