BCA's Washington Briefing

follow us on facebook follow us on twitter follow us on youtube January 31, 2014


HOUSE BREAKS FARM BILL DEADLOCK AND RENEWS NATION'S FARM BILL   

 

Democrats joined Republicans in passing the $1 trillion farm bill that funds food stamps and farm subsidies. The bill contained objectionable parts to both conservative and liberals - conservatives said the bill is too expensive and stuffed with special projects and liberals didn't like restrictions on food stamp benefits for some.

 

The bill passed 251-166 with 89 Democrats joining 162 Republicans. Alabama's seven House members voted for the bill that now goes to the Senate for consideration. Many Democrats said they supported the bill because of its stability for farmers and ranchers over the next five years.

 

"After three years of hard work, today the House finally passed a Farm Bill that provides certainty for our nation's farmers and institutes money-saving reforms to agriculture and nutrition policy that we've needed for some time," Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, said.

 

U.S. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, who represents a large swath of rural agricultural and urban areas, said she was disappointed that SNAP did not get more money but she voted for the bill because it was a compromise that provides a 5-year agreement and certainty to farmers and consumers.

 

"After two years of negotiations to pass a farm bill that meets the needs of both our farmers and those who rely upon nutrition assistance programs, I am pleased that Congress has come to a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a 5-year farm bill," Sewell said. "While not a perfect bill, it does represent a compromise that broadens access to irrigation, promotes our catfish industry and strengthens rural infrastructure."

 

The bill ends most direct payments to farmers, a major change, and replaces them with a crop insurance program designed to protect against major price drops. The food stamp program, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, would prevent states from giving families nominal subsidies for fuel assistance to qualify for higher food benefits.

 

"All Americans stand to benefit in some way from this farm bill, which maintains critical assistance for families in need and improves programs for producers while cutting the cost of government," House Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, said. "More reform is needed, but this is an improvement over current law, and there are no earmarks."

 

The House stripped a provision from the bill requiring members of Congress, Cabinet secretaries, and their immediate family members to disclose how much crop insurance assistance they receive.

 

The bill ultimately would cut about $800 million a year for 10 years from the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program, or around 1 percent, less than the 5 percent cut the House wanted. The almost $100 billion-a-year bill would save around $1.65 billion annually overall, according to the Congressional Budget Office, an amount much less than the $2.3 billion annual savings the agriculture committees originally projected.

 

The White House said President Barack Obama would sign it.

CONGRESSMAN ADERHOLT NAMED TO IMPORTANT HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS DEFENSE SUBCOMMITTEE                    

 

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, has been appointed to the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, a significant assignment for north Alabama's military commands. The appointment was announced by Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky.

 

"Given the history of working with Redstone Arsenal over the years I have seen first-hand the important role northern Alabama and the entire state plays in our national defense, particularly as it relates to missile defense," Aderholt said in a statement. "This is particularly important as the Department of Defense continues to transition to meet new threats."

 

The subcommittee is chaired by U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J. He said Aderholt's "experience, intellect and command of the issues will add immeasurably to the strong team of members already on the subcommittee."

 

"As he is a strong believer in fiscal responsibility, I look forward to working with him on the subcommittee to improve military readiness and by making every dollar of defense spending count," Freylinghuysen said.

 

The subcommittee sets annual appropriation levels and has federal spending oversight for the Departments of Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines, as well as the Central Intelligence Agency and intelligence community staff.


Aderholt is serving in his ninth term representing Alabama's Fourth Congressional District. He is chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.

U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATS LOOK TO MARCH VOTE ON 39 PERCENT MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE                      

U.S. Senate Democrats want an election-year, March vote on a bill to boost the federal minimum wage 39 percent over two years. The announcement follows President Barack Obama's State of the Union declaration that he would sign an executive order raising the minimum wage for new federal contractors, Roll Call reported.

 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., "has committed to bring this legislation up in the next work period, the first part of March," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the secretary of the Democratic Conference.

 

The bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, would phase in an increase in the current $7.25 an hour minimum wage to $10.10 an hour over two years. Obama also said if Congress does not act he would bypass Congress and would use executive authority more often to reduce income inequality.


Republicans charge that Democrats are using the issue of income inequality only for political gain and that raising the minimum wage would hurt employers and the economy, Roll Call reported. Democrats contend that they are pushing for policies that help those who have been left behind by Republican pro-business policies. Supporters pointed out that most minimum-wage workers are women.


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Obama raises business leaders' hopes   

Los Angeles Times (Puzzanghera, Lopez, Memoli 1/30) "President Obama's State of the Union address raised hope among business leaders for action this year on some of their priorities, including immigration reform, a corporate tax code overhaul and more trade deals. But the domestic centerpiece of Obama's speech - raising the minimum wage - drew strong opposition even as he took to the road Wednesday to rally public support for it. Even so, those business issues face a common major obstacle: a congressional election year in which almost anything controversial isn't likely to win approval.

 

"'Expanded trade is vital for economic growth', said Jay Timmons, president of the National Assn. of Manufacturers. 'For manufacturers, trade agreements are critical to our ability to grow and invest; 95% of the world's customers live outside the U.S.', he said, noting that the president should have made a more forceful case for the authority.

 

"Corporate tax reform is another area of wide agreement in the business community. Obama 'probably didn't step on the accelerator hard enough' on the issue in his speech, said (David) French, of the retailers group. House and Senate lawmakers still are working on drafting tax reform legislation, and the best the business leaders can expect this year is that progress be made. Generally, lawmakers avoid voting on such complicated and controversial legislation in an election year."

NAM responds to President Obama's State of the Union 

National Association of Manufacturers (Timmons 1/28) "National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons issued this statement in response to President Obama's State of the Union address: 'Tonight President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to manufacturing, and we stand ready to help him ensure that the 'year of action' translates to a year of growth. Manufacturers welcome the President's focus on developing a 21st century workforce through training programs and immigration reform. The focus on infrastructure investment and permitting, enhanced trade and natural gas development all carry the potential to boost jobs, competitiveness and open countless opportunities for manufacturers in the United States.

 

"'However, it seems that the President missed an opportunity to show the American people that Washington can put politics aside for pro-growth policies. His call for an 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy neglected to include the Keystone XL pipeline, and his comment on tax reform once again used the political target of energy producers while failing to call for comprehensive reform that will drive growth for all industries.

 

"'Manufacturers have proposed policy solutions that will deliver more than 20,000 manufacturing jobs per month and grow our economy by at least 3.5 percent each year. Achieving the economic recovery that Americans have sought for years will take more than a pledge - it will take concrete action. Manufacturers stand at the ready to work with President Obama and Congress to deliver policy solutions that will provide not just recovery, but also growth that will spur a new generation of prosperity in the United States.'"

 

To read A Growth Agenda: Four Goals for a Manufacturing Resurgence in America, click here.  


The Business Council of Alabama is the NAM's exclusive representative in Alabama.

IT purchase changes may be in the works 

Federal Times (Medici 1/27) "Reps. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., released draft legislation Jan. 27 that would overhaul how the federal government purchases and develops IT programs and systems. The Reforming Federal Procurement of Information Technology Act would create a new office within the administration to review major IT projects before they begin and help agencies plan the contracting process.

 

"The legislation would also lift the threshold for the streamlined contracting process available to small businesses from $150,000 to $500,000. Eshoo said in a statement that burdensome procurement regulations were a barrier to small business participation in the IT procurement process.

 

"'Our draft bill puts proven best practices to work by instituting a White House office of IT procurement and gives all American innovators a fair shake at competing for valuable federal IT contracts by lowering the burden of entry', Eshoo said.


"Connolly said despite some improvements in federal IT procurement over the last few years there are still too many IT program failures. 'Our RFP-IT discussion draft recognizes that transforming how the federal government procures critical IT assets will likely require bolstering ongoing efforts to comprehensively strengthen general federal IT management practices with targeted enhancements that promote innovative and bold procurement strategies from the White House on down,' Connolly said."

PROUD PARTNERS OF

US Chamber of Commerce   National Association of Manufacturers
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES


HOUSE CALENDAR            SENATE CALENDAR