House Members Urge Senate to Pass Crop Insurance Bill

November 5, 1999

A group of House members wants the Senate to get busy and agree on a crop insurance reform bill before the end of the current session. Some of their criticism was directed at Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN) who has a bill of his own he's trying to sell to members of his panel.

"The chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee is not the chairman of agriculture for Marion County, Indiana (Lugar's home), he's the chairman for the United States Senate, and the country's farmers deserve to have this very important program improved with the bipartisan proposals that are on the table," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND).

Pomeroy noted that the $5 billion budgeted for crop insurance over the next five years will have to be rededicated in the 2001 budget if not enacted into a reform package soon. "This is not a partisan issue," Pomeroy added. "This is about helping the farmers across the country."

A Lugar spokesperson says the timetable "is not as important to us as getting a good bill done." Lugar has been meeting with other senators on the committee in an attempt to forge a consensus on crop insurance and risk management, this aide says, and "it seems that more senators are coming onto the Lugar plan that provides more than crop insurance" for farmers.

"The House passed its crop insurance bill (Sept. 29) that moves us one step closer toward a workable program," said Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), "and now it is incumbent upon the Senate to do the same."

Several House members held a news conference Thursday in hopes of pressuring the Senate into action before adjournment, expected as early as the middle of next week.

Rep. David Minge (D-MN) said asked, "Can we not simply take the first step and pass this crop insurance bill that has received bipartisan support? It is the very least we can do." Affordable crop insurance with reasonable premiums and adequate benefits "will allow farmers to pool their risks with others," Minge added. "The relief this insurance will bring will be targeted directly at the farmers who need it the most."

Eight agriculture organizations sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) urging the Senate to consider crop insurance reform before adjournment. When Congress returns in January, it will be for the second session of the 106^th Congress, meaning pending legislation will remain eligible for consideration; bills not passed this year will not have to be reintroduced as they would when a new Congress begins.

"We are extremely concerned that the Senate may walk away from its responsibility to provide America's farm and ranch families a sound risk management program," the groups told the leadership. "The necessity for the Senate to act could not be more urgent. If the Senate takes no action before the next budget resolution is written (in 2000), the $6 billion will be unused, making a difficult case for its inclusion again."