Deficit hawks at Taxpayers for Common Sense are enraged Wednesday by limits imposed by the House Rules Committee on farm bill amendments.
The committee allowed votes on 103 out of 229 amendments, but the group says some of the best cost-cutting reforms were ruled out of order. They said the Rules Committee did not abide by Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) call for an open farm bill debate.
“In a cynical maneuver not in keeping with the Speaker’s direction, the Rules Committee structured the amendment process in an attempt to ensure that the least possible reform would happen,” Steve Ellis of TCS said.
Among the amendments rules out of order was one by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) to stop lawmakers from receiving farm subsidies.
Another would have block granted the food stamp program to the states, a change that would save more than $100 billion and which was called for in the House-passed budget written by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).
An amendment written by Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) and backed by conservative groups would have split the food stamp spending from the farm subsidies.
Other amendments would have stopped crop insurance subsidies for wealthy farmers and would have limited the crop insurance premium subsidy to $50,000.
Because the U.S. has not fixed problems with its cotton subsidies faulted by the World Trade Organization, it is paying penalties to Brazil. An amendment stopping the payments and another ending a temporary extension of cotton subsidies were also forbidden by the Rules Committee.
“The Farm Bill is a massive piece of legislation. Instead of jamming this bill through the floor with inadequate debate and attempts at reform, House leadership needs to start over and create a process that allows for more debate and more reform. Taxpayers deserve nothing less,” Ellis said.
Original Publication URL: http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/agriculture/306559-fiscal-group-enraged-by-limits-on-house-farm-bill-amendments
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