By VIVIAN GRANT
Congress Passes Farm Bill
On Wednesday the House voted 318-106 to agree on the conference report for H.R. 2419, the farm bill extension. The Senate agreed on the report on Thursday. It extends farm programs for five years at a cost of $289 billion. In addition to adding $10 billion to nutrition programs, the bill expands food security programs and reforms commodity and biofuel programs. There is also additional funding for energy and conservation programs.
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer issued a statement calling the bill “a bloated, earmark laden bill that spends nearly $20 billion over its original cost and continues to balance subsidy payments to the wealthy on the backs of the middle class taxpayer.” You can see the full release here.
President Bush is expected to veto the bill, and Congress is expected to attempt an override vote.
Source: Congress.org
Horse Slaughter – HR 503
HR 503 has 201 co-sponsors as of this writing. We have set a target of 215.
If you are a new subscriber and/or member, and have not gotten involved with us on this issue, here’s the link where you can find everything you need to know to contact your U.S. Representative :-
Top Ten Most Powerful Senators
According to Congress.org, the following are the ten most powerful U.S. Senators:
1. Sen. McCain
2. Sen. Kerry
3. Sen. Dorgan
4. Sen. Hutchison
5. Sen. Boxer
6. Sen. Rockefeller
7. Sen. Nelson
8. Sen. Inouye
9. Sen. Ensign
10. Sen. Lautenberg
Do you find it puzzling that 7 out of 10 of the most powerful Senators in Washington DC have co-sponsored S. 311 banning horse slaughter and export for slaughter, but not one of them — including Sen. Ensign who co-introduced it — have exerted any of their influence to move the bill through? I do.
I believe if I were a constituent of any one of these Senators, I would be asking them why they have not done something, anything to move this bill forward. Heaven knows, they have been asked, re-asked and asked again.
If any of the top ten U.S. Senators represent you, you may want to file this away to consider when election day finally arrives, and vote for the horses.
Tuesday's Horse 