WASHINGTON After refusing to consider a sweeping five-year farm policy measure, House Republicans on Thursday jammed through a last-minute, short-term $383 million package of loans and grants for some livestock producers and farmers who are suffering from the effects of a protracted, widespread drought.
The measure passed 223-197, a tight margin for a bill that has an impact on so many states. But Democratic leaders in the Senate, which has already passed a bipartisan five-year bill, said they were not inclined to rush through the House measure, blaming the Republican leaders in the House for failing to consider the broader legislation in time. The end result was that Congress could end up taking no action to provide drought aid before breaking for five weeks.
"I'm not passing a bill that only covers some producers," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow , D-Mich.
As chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee , she ushered the Senate bill through her chamber before the House vote. Later, on the Senate floor, Stabenow said that lawmakers would have to spend August working out a broader bill, even though no formal conference committee had been convened to do so.
Lawmakers in states with large agriculture industries must now face farmers, ranchers and producers who are clamoring for a farm bill to extend programs that begin expiring next month. The relief bill seeks to continue programs that have already expired, ones that protect livestock and forage programs and provide some assistance to a handful of other crops, paid for by placing caps on conservation programs in the current farm program.
Without the aid, livestock producers will now have no government safety net program to aid them in their losses from the rising cost of feed due to the drought.
Before the vote, House Speaker John A. Boehner acknowledged the problem the bill had become in his chamber.
The farm fight was just one skirmish sending Congress out of town on a sour note. A bipartisan measure to increase the protection of computers running critical infrastructure facilities from cyberattacks collapsed.
Unfinished business
Post office overhaul: A bill restoring solvency to the U.S. Postal Service remains stalled in the House, and it appears unlikely it will pass legislation this year.
Cybersecurity: The Senate failed in a final attempt Thursday to pass legislation to protect the U.S. electrical grid, water supplies and other critical industries from cyberattack and electronic espionage.
Violence Against Women Act: Progress on a compromise bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act for five years remains elusive four months after the Senate reauthorized the act.
Russia trade: Both the House and the Senate say they will consider ending Cold War restrictions and extend permanent normal trade relations to Russia in September.
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