Congress Moves Toward Final Action on Crop Insurance, Farm Relief

May 24, 2000

After days of mixed signals, Republican leaders made some key decisions Tuesday evening that should lead to passage of crop insurance legislation and emergency farm income relief in coming days.

House and Senate conferees on the crop insurance reform bill will meet at 1:00 today to complete their work and approve a package that will include not only $7.1 billion in emergency farm payments for 2000 and 2001, but reportedly an unrelated bankruptcy reform bill as well. Both the House and the Senate are expected to vote on the package before adjourning for the Memorial Day recess.

Meanwhile, House leaders reportedly want to take the 2001 agriculture appropriations bill to the floor on Thursday. However, they must first pass a rule for consideration of the bill that may draw stiff opposition from farm-state members. The rule apparently will allow a procedural move to drop a controversial rider that would relax economic sanctions against Cuba and other countries. Most farm groups strongly support that measure, which was proposed by Rep. George Nethercutt (R-WA).