Senate farm bill expected to pass, debate on immigrant bill to return
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
The U.S. Senate is due to vote on its five-year $94 billion farm bill Monday night. The legislation is likely to pass with bipartisan support.
The farm bill is almost identical to the legislation passed last year, with the major difference being a target price assistance program for Southern rice and peanut farmers.
The House version of the farm bill is expected to come in two weeks (June 17). If the bill passes the house floor, it will take strong bipartisan support from the Senate and the House to the President before the extension of the farm bill expires this fall (Sept. 30). Both bills would end direct payments to farmers, while expending insurance offerings. The most continuous point is over food stamp funding better known as SNAP. The Senate version would cut $400 million a year while the House version would cut $2 billion a year.
Once the farm bill passes, the Senate is scheduled to resume debate on its controversial immigration bill.