A Tough Day for Farmers as Lawmakers Look for Cuts
By JENNIFER STEINHAUER and CARL HULSE
NYT
WASHINGTON — The House approved large cuts in food aid for the poor and various agriculture programs on Thursday after a steely weeklong debate that pitted Democrats against Republicans, and farm-state members against those within their own party who vehemently oppose certain types of farm aid.
At the same time, the Senate voted 73 to 27 to end tax credits and trade protection that benefit the corn-based ethanol industry, with broad bipartisan backing. As a practical matter, the measure ending federal ethanol benefits will probably not become law because it is part of a larger measure that is likely to fail. But the lopsided ethanol vote showed that Congressional support for ethanol is eroding and signaled that many Senate Republicans who voted to kill the tax credits might favor some measures that reduce the deficit by ending a tax break.
“It is time to say enough is enough,” said Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, an ethanol critic. “This industry has been collecting corporate welfare for far, far too long.”
The House agriculture spending bill was not the first spending measure considered by the House this year — two other bills concerning security spending passed with little debate. But the latest bill passed with a narrow 217-to-203 vote, and foreshadowed a host of spending fights to come in both chambers over fundamental budgeting priorities, regulatory policy, energy and science.
(More here.)
NYT
WASHINGTON — The House approved large cuts in food aid for the poor and various agriculture programs on Thursday after a steely weeklong debate that pitted Democrats against Republicans, and farm-state members against those within their own party who vehemently oppose certain types of farm aid.
At the same time, the Senate voted 73 to 27 to end tax credits and trade protection that benefit the corn-based ethanol industry, with broad bipartisan backing. As a practical matter, the measure ending federal ethanol benefits will probably not become law because it is part of a larger measure that is likely to fail. But the lopsided ethanol vote showed that Congressional support for ethanol is eroding and signaled that many Senate Republicans who voted to kill the tax credits might favor some measures that reduce the deficit by ending a tax break.
“It is time to say enough is enough,” said Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, an ethanol critic. “This industry has been collecting corporate welfare for far, far too long.”
The House agriculture spending bill was not the first spending measure considered by the House this year — two other bills concerning security spending passed with little debate. But the latest bill passed with a narrow 217-to-203 vote, and foreshadowed a host of spending fights to come in both chambers over fundamental budgeting priorities, regulatory policy, energy and science.
(More here.)
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