Fight Over Funds Causes Farm Bill Deadlock

Congress has extended the farm bill deadline to April 18, allowing themselves more time to forestall President Bush’s threat of a veto. Though the $286 billion bill passed both houses of Congress, Bush has stated that he will not sign the current bill, as it relies on an increase in taxes to find its nutrition, crop and biofuels spending. Congress will spend the next two weeks trying to allocate funds for these spending increases, while drafting a baseline bill that would satisfy presidential demands. At stake in this compromise is the future level of funding for food stamps and the potential for an increase in individual food stamp benefits. Legislators from the House Agricultural Committee have stated that funds may be shifted in order to protect spending for nutrition programs, including food stamps. This is the second extension since the 2002 farm bill expired in September 2007. If a compromise is not reached by April 18, the President has asked congress to issue a one-year extension of the current bill.