As Congress Returns, Combest Hammers Clinton

September 7, 1999

Congress comes back to work this week with agriculture appropriations one of the major items to be resolved. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX) wants the Clinton Administration to "end its political campaign" and submit a "concrete plan" to Congress to give aid to farmers.

There have been reports that the White House is working on a proposal for farm income and price relief, but there have been no official announcements to date. "The administration has completely failed to submit a formal recommendation to Congress and instead has relied on vague public statements decrying the farm crisis and falsely accusing Congress of idleness," says Combest.

Farmers and ranchers are into the second year of "the worst farm crisis in recent memory caused by weather problems and low commodity prices," says Combest. The "vast resources of the administration" and USDA are needed "to provide a national assessment of the disaster and to outline specific proposals on how to best help farmers."

Congress earlier in the year approved in principal a $6 billion five-year increase in crop insurance, and the Senate has approved a one-year emergency aid program for almost $8 billion, Combest says. "The House will move quickly on this legislation (farmer relief) when it returns...but farmers would benefit more if the President would use the vast resources under is control to assist us in drafting an effective program."

In addition to its own aid proposal, many expect the administration to propose dramatic changes to the 1996 farm law. President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman have blamed the law for much of the current income problems facing farmers.