DEP Press Advisory on Deer Hunting Cancellation, October 2, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

White House Criticizes Republican Farm Bill By ELIZABETH BECKER WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 — The Bush administration came out against the man of the Budget Committee, refer­ $171 billion House version of a farm ring to Agriculture Secretary Ann M. bill today, saying it would give too Veneman. much money to commodity subsidies Mr. Nussle joined Mr. Combest in and not enough to conservation ef­ questioning why the administration’s forts. The White House stance set up public opposition came so late. a battle within the Republican Party Ms. Veneman said she had pre­ over who would determine farm poli­ sented her agriculture principles cy for the next decade covered by the since taking office and hoped to work with Congress in writing legislation. Minutes after debate began in the An open war had been building for House, the Office of Management several weeks and had included a anS Budget released the administra- preliminary round last Friday when tioh statement, urging the House to Ms. Veneman told the Senate that rewrite the bill and make it “better there might not be enough money in for rural America, better for the the budget to pay for the House ver­ environment and better for expand­ sion. Nonetheless, lawmakers and ing markets.” advocates seemed surprised. “I’ve been working on farm legis­ The statement drew a bitter retort lation since 1977, and I’ve never seen from Representative Larry Com- such a harsh assessment from the best, a Texas Republican who is the White House of any farm bill,” said chairman of the Agriculture Com­ Ken Cook, president of the Environ­ mittee and the bill’s chief sponsor. mental Working Group, a nonprofit “For you to come now at the last group supporting conservation pro­ minute is an insult,” Mr. Combest grams. said, referring to the administration In an effort to shore up support for of his fellow Texan. “How could you the bill, the office of Representative dare do this to us?” Charles W. Stenholm, a Texas Demo­ Moderate Republicans led by Rep­ crat who is a co-sponsor of the House resentative Sherwood Boehlert of measure, sent an e-mail message to the offices of Democratic lawmakers New York said they were ecstatic warning that if they did not vote for, with the new administration view, as the bill, their favorite programs, es-' it mirrors an amendment they are pecially food stamps and nutrition’ offering to shift $19 billion from crop programs, would be undercut. subsidies to conservation projects. Mr. Combest had anticipated sev­ Mr. Combest has promised to pul! eral of the administration’s objec­ his bill if the House approves that tions in an amendment filed on Mon­ amendment, which is also sponsored day that would give the agriculture^ by Representative Ron Kind, Demo­ secretary authority to cut subsidies crat of Wisconsin. if they violated trade agreements. At the beginning of debate on the And in a nod to growing support wide-ranging bill, which covers food for international food aid since the stamps, rural development, conser­ attacks, Mr. Combest agreed to es­ vation and crop subsidies, support­ tablish an international food pro­ ers said it amounted to an economic gram, named for former Senator stimulus package. But as word George McGovern, now the ambas­ sador for United Nations food pro­ spread through the chamber that the grams, and Bob Dole, a former Sen­ Republican administration had ate majority leader. turned against their bill, speaker af­ ter speaker rose to denounce whai they considered a cowardly betrayal. “What this means is that Secre­ tary,' Veneman needs a wake-up,” said Representative Jim Nussle, the Iowa Republican who is the chair- WTimos 01

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