The House GOP farm bill may cost more than it was originally funded, but Senator Chuck Grassley says that should not be a ‘showstopper.’
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) agrees the Congressional Budget Office farm bill’s final score of $33 billion over budget is a problem. When CBO speaks, Grassley says lawmakers listen.
Grassley and other Senate and House Ag Republicans argue farmers need “more farm in the farm bill.” The House committee-passed bill includes more funding for farm safety net programs, including reference price supports.
Which is why Grassley argues the CBO score should not be a ‘showstopper.’
This leads Grassley to his ‘split screen’ view of the CBO farm bill estimate.
Republicans argue passing a new farm bill would help by giving greater certainty to producers and their lenders. Democrats argue the CBO score proves the House bill is unworkable and would take money from must-have nutrition and conservation programs.
Funding differences, stalled talks in the Senate, and logistical problems in the House over government spending bills threaten to force another extension of the long-outdated 2018 farm bill.
