美國會多數通過農業法案 待總統批示上路

The farm bill that passed both houses of Congress last week with veto-proof majorities invests in improved nutrition, conservation, renewable energy and farm programs and includes significant reforms, proponents say. The bill goes Tuesday to President George W. Bush, who is expected to veto the measure.

With the support of more than 550 farm, specialty crop, conservation, nutrition, consumer and religious organizations, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte, members of the House Agriculture Committee, and members of the conference committee say the bills is good for Americans across the country.

"The Food, Conservation and Energy Act makes essential improvements in the food, farm and conservation programs that meet the needs of Americans in cities, suburbs and rural communities nationwide," said Chairman Peterson. "This bill will help working American families struggling with high food prices and will ensure that our farmers and ranchers can continue to provide a safe, abundant, homegrown supply of food and fiber."

The farm bill conference report was coauthored by U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia who urged the president to sign the bill into law. "Our bill provides certainty to America's farmers and ranchers and restates the strong commitment of Congress to the hungry and less fortunate. The farm bill includes provisions to help low-income Americans meet nutritional needs by providing school children with increased access to fresh fruit and vegetables and enhancing our investments to the Food Stamp Program and food banks," Chambliss said.

But according to Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, the president is not likely to sign the bill. Schafer expressed the Bush administration's views in a statement Wednesday, calling the measure "a bloated, earmark laden bill that spends nearly $20 billion over its original cost and continues to balance subsidy payments to the wealthy on the backs of the middle class taxpayer."

"The bill passed today is a farm bill in name only," Schafer said. "It does not target help for the farmers who really need it, and it increases the size and cost of government while jeopardizing the future of legitimate farm programs by damaging the credibility of farm bills in general."

"At a time of record setting income for farmers, it sends the wrong message to the rest of the country who are not experiencing the boom of the agriculture sector. This bill is loaded with taxpayer funded pet projects at a time when Americans are struggling to buy groceries and afford gas to get to work."

"Eight months behind schedule, Congress will send a bill to the president that is trade distorting and fails to provide meaningful reform to the adjusted gross income limit, beneficial interest or the international food aid program," he said.

However, it is better late than never for the beneficiaries of the massive earmarks in this bill, like the $170 million for the salmon fishermen on the West Coast, or $250 million for a single entity land buy in Montana, just to name a few." "Reckless spending like this is not what farm bills should be about," said Schafer.