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For Immediate Release
Contact: Betsy Hart
April 10, 2008
(202) 226-8555

HERSETH SANDLIN STATEMENT ON FARM BILL PROGRESS AND CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Washington, D.C., April 10, 2008 – U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin commented today on the appointment of House Farm Bill conferees and ongoing progress in negotiations.

“I am pleased that Farm Bill conferees have been named and the conference committee has begun to meet. It’s another good sign in what has become a lengthy, drawn-out debate, but ultimately will be a worthwhile effort if we can enact new farm legislation that meets the diverse needs of American agriculture. Throughout this process, I’ve worked with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN), Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) as well as members from both sides of the aisle and I remain hopeful that we can overcome the final challenges standing in the way of the bill’s completion.

“Currently holding up the farm bill are disagreements over the offsets needed to pay for a $10 billion increase over the farm bill base line, jurisdictional matters, and whether a package of 60 tax measures costing approximately $2.5 billion, which was added by the Senate Finance Committee, should be included in the bill. We’ve seemingly been this close before, but now is really where the rubber meets the road. As the bill is finalized, I will continue to advocate for a strong safety net for our commodity growers, including a permanent disaster assistance program and adequate funding for conservation programs. Additionally, as South Dakota stands poised to contribute to our country’s efforts to end dependence on foreign sources of energy, I will continue to monitor important provisions in the energy title related to the production of cellulosic fuels and renewable electricity, biomass development and the Sun Grant Initiative.”

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Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin serves South Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats committed to fiscal discipline and strong national security, and is co-chair of the Rural Working Group, which is dedicated to raising the profile of issues important to rural America. She also serves on three committees vital to South Dakota’s interests: Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs and Natural Resources. In the 110th Congress, Rep. Herseth Sandlin was one of only 15 members appointed to serve on the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.