- Informa Economics Issue Monitor is reporting that House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) told Congressional Quarterly (CQ) the new farm bill markup could be delayed.
Informa Economics Issue Monitor is reporting that House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) told Congressional Quarterly (CQ) the new farm bill markup could be delayed. "Work and markup on a new farm bill by the House Ag Committee may be postponed beyond the currently planned late-February start given the potential that spending and entitlement cut issues could be the focus for the House at that point," Lucas told CQ.
"If I understand correctly what was done the other day, sequestration and for that matter the debt ceiling issues all come to a bubble the end of February, or a boil, maybe that's a better word. The speaker made it quite clear the other evening. The tax issue is now over. The issue is now entitlements and spending. Well, a farm bill is by its nature a spending bill with certain entitlements incorporated." Lucas said.
The chairman also said he is discussing the matter with Ag panel Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.). Meanwhile, Associated Press is quoting Peterson as saying that he felt the lack of a vote on the bill passed by the panel was a show of disrespect by House leaders and he's not interested in writing another bill unless a vote is promised. "If they will not give me that assurance, I am not interested in writing a farm bill," Peterson said.
