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McIntyre implores House speaker to act on farm bill
Story Date: 8/5/2013
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 8/2/13
U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre (N.C.-7), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, has joined in writing a letter to Speaker John Boehner urging him and the Congressional leadership to promptly move forward on passing a Farm Bill. The current Farm Bill is set to expire September 30.
Congressman McIntyre stated, “Agriculture is the #1 industry in North Carolina with one out of every five jobs related to farming and agri-business. Therefore, it is critical that Congress pass a Farm Bill and provide certainty to our farmers!”
The letter that McIntyre and his colleagues signed to Speaker Boehner is below:
Dear Mr. Speaker:
On July 18, 2013, the U.S. Senate requested a conference with the U.S. House of Representatives to resolve differences regarding H.R. 2642, legislation commonly known as the Farm Bill. We respectfully ask for your support in the naming of a Farm Bill conference committee before the House adjourns for the August recess.
As you know, the extension of the 2008 Farm Bill expires on September 30, 2013. Congress will be in session only 11 days before this expiration. It is imperative that conferees are named before the August recess to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of H.R. 2642. This will give conferees the time to prepare a conference report that can be passed by September 30. Without your consent to permit formal conference negotiations, neither the Senate nor House will name conferees. Consequently, our best opportunity to enact this legislation before the current law expires will be squandered.
Hundreds of groups representing a broad range of issues with different and often conflicting priorities agree on one thing, it is now time to work together in regular order through the conference committee process, find bipartisan compromise and finish the Farm Bill.
Additionally, as a practical matter, since a conference report must be signed by a majority of members from both the House and Senate, knowing who will be appointed conferees is needed to determine what kind of agreement is even possible. Given the length of time the House and Senate Agriculture Committees have been working on a Farm Bill, we have a clear picture of the issues that need to be resolved and staff-level negotiations will only accomplish so much. It is time to bring Members of Congress together to make the tough choices necessary to get a Farm Bill that can be passed by Congress and signed by the President.
We remain confident that if you would support beginning formal conference committee negotiations, Members of Congress would respond enthusiastically to returning to regular order, and conferees would put their August recess to good use by agreeing to a conference report that could be voted upon by both the House and Senate in September. Doing so will restore public confidence and prove that it is possible for Congress to meet its responsibilities to the American people.
We look forward to hearing from you on this important matter.
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