May 2, 2008 - BREAKING NEWS ON THE FARM BILL
Senate/House conferees approved $10.365 billion in new ten-year funding for the nutrition title of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) in a late night meeting last night. Conferees left open the issue of privatization of eligibility determination processes and eight non-nutrition title issues. They also noted that budget scoring due from the Congressional Budget Office may require revisiting some decisions. Another short-term extension of current farm program law (H.R. 2954) gives lawmakers until May 16th to get a reauthorization passed and signed. While behind-the-scenes negotiations are expected to continue, in the meantime conferees do not expect to reconvene for a public meeting earlier than 1pm on May 6th.
Use 1-800-826-9624 to thank Members for Progress and to Build on Momentum: Call Members of Congress (via the toll-free line made available by AARP: 1-800-826-9624). Thank Members for making progress on the Farm Bill nutrition title and urge them to pass a Farm Bill with the strongest possible nutrition title, including new investments for: 1) food stamp benefit increases (especially raising and indexing the $10 minimum monthly benefit and standard deduction); 2) greater food stamp access (especially raising and indexing household asset limits); and 3) boosting purchases in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)(raising and indexing funding)
Oklahoma Representative Frank Lucas, (R) District 3, is one of the conferees helping with final negotiations.
