Congressman Says Midnight Amendments Undo Bipartisan Consensus On Ag Policy

Washington, DC - Congressman Mac Thornberry (TX-13) today expressed his severe disappointment at peaker Nancy Pelosi's attempts to slip partisan amendments into the Farm Bill.

"Of all the areas considered by Congress, agriculture and national security have traditionally been above partisan games," said Thornberry. "First with national security and now with agriculture Speaker Pelosi has changed that by injecting partisan tax increases and non-agriculture amendments into the Farm Bill." Thornberry noted that he and other Republicans supported the Farm Bill as approved by the House Committee on Agriculture, "The Ag Committee passed a bipartisan bill on voice vote; it was not a perfect bill, but overall it was a good product for our area and for the country," noted Thornberry.

After the bill left the Ag Committee, however, new provisions were added that include significant tax increases and make certain foreign aid programs a mandatory entitlement. In addition, the bill now makes it virtually impossible for Texas to administer its Food Stamp program.

"These midnight amendments, including some $10 billion in tax and fee increases, never even had a committee hearing and have nothing to do with food safety and security or production agriculture; in fact, they will increase costs to farmers." concluded Congressman Thornberry. "Everyone concerned about agriculture and rural America should unite against these partisan tactics."

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