AgNook.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Livestock
    • Crops
    • Business & Inputs
  • Markets
    • Market News
    • Market Analysis
  • Livestock
    • Cattle
    • Hogs & Pigs
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Livestock
    • Crops
    • Business & Inputs
  • Markets
    • Market News
    • Market Analysis
  • Livestock
    • Cattle
    • Hogs & Pigs
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
AgNook.com
No Result
View All Result
Home News Business & Inputs

Disaster Aid Blocked in House – Again

Citizens in desperate need of aid will continue to wait

AgNook Editor posted by AgNook Editor
June 3, 2019
in Business & Inputs
0
Disaster Aid Blocked in House – Again

Disaster aid has been blocked by the US House for a third time.

0
SHARES
118
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Despite the fact that similar disaster aid bills passed through the US House before, lawmakers were not able to pass the legislation before a 10 day recess. The disaster aid bill has been under debate for months, and finally, last week the US Senate was able to get President Trump on board for a $19.1 billion disaster aid only package.

Failed to Pass Through the House

The House couldn’t get it done though, thanks to a few Republican holdouts hoping for more media attention. Congress has become so polarized that some members feel it’s more important to oppose the other party rather than work together to approve legislation for the good of the country.

According to The Fence Post, the US House GOP has now blocked disaster relief for the third time. A supplemental appropriations bill- which included aid for farmers that fell victim to natural disasters this year and last- was held back by a single Republican House member. The man responsible for blocking the bill this time was Representative John Rose (R-Tenn).

The supplemental appropriations bill already passed in the Senate. Now, the House will have to take on the disaster aid after the Memorial Day Break.

Read more at thefencepost.com

Costs Mounting, Disaster Recovery Slow

Brownfield Ag News also covered the House-blocked disaster aid bill. Without passage of the bill, costs are mounting and recovery is slow. Not only are lives at stake, but property, infrastructure and farmland have seen unparalleled devastation.

Southern states as far west as Texas and as far north as the Carolinas, along with U.S. Caribbean territories, suffered multiple hurricane hits; at one point it appeared half of California was burning.  In mid-March, Winter Storm Ulmer lumbered out of the Pacific Northwest, dumped snow and rain, then literally overnight morphed into an historic “bomb cyclone” across a wide swath of the middle and upper Midwest. Ulmer brought record winds, record low temperatures, monster snowfalls and subsequent historic flooding along the Missouri River from the Dakotas to Mississippi.

With each passing day the cost of addressing all of the destruction is rising. Roads are gone, airports are flooded, towns are destroyed and many basic services like electricity and telephones aren’t back up yet. Many farmers and ranchers have no idea if they’ll ever be able to farm again. It’s terrible.

Three Times Blocked

Despite this, Congress is attempting to use these tragedies for political advantage. Conservative House Republicans are spending this time trying to embarrass House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other Democrats, rather than following through and getting aid to the citizens that need it.

The House had passed several disaster aid bills with bipartisan cooperation in recent months. President Donald Trump was bent on punishing Puerto Rico though, for mishandling federal aid in the past. The Senate argued on aid bills for nearly 8 months. Finally, right before their Memorial Day break, they were able to get Trump on board for a $19.1-billion disaster-aid-only package. The aid bill turned out to be nearly identical to the last House bill, which was approved by bipartisan vote.

To finally get the disaster aid bill approved, all the House needed to do was pass it through a “unanimous consent” motion. This allows the approval of a bill on a voice vote. This type of motion starts with the Speaker and minority leader’s approvals, but can be squashed by just one “nay” vote.

Freshman Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) objected to the bill two weeks ago. He claimed it was because the bill wasn’t paid for or offset through spending cuts and because Pelosi was “playing politics.” He also didn’t want to use unanimous consent rather than debate, and wanted the bill to include the Trump border money.

Days passed, and on May 28 the bill was brought back for a vote under unanimous consent. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) was the one to squash it that time, saying that Pelosi was mishandling the bill. Then the third unanimous consent vote came up on May 20 and was blocked by Rose.

Scorn from Congress

Now the House is in recess for 10 days, and the people that desperately need the aid aren’t getting it. Brownfield Ag News reported that lawmakers from both parties and both chambers have been pummeling both Roy and Massie.

Ag Committee member Austin Scott (R-GA):

“Unfortunately, more clowns showed up today to once again delay disaster relief for the states and farmers devastated by the storms of 2018.”

Senator David Perdue (R-GA) tweeted:

“It’s pathetic that some members have chosen this moment to grandstand & get into the national headlines.”

And oddly, we haven’t heard much out of the White House.

Read more at brownfield.com

What’s in the Bill?

Chris Clayton of DTNPF says the bill contained more than $3 billion in aid for farmers. The legislation would also waive adjusted gross income (AGI) caps for farmers under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), which would provide aid to higher income farmers.

Other USDA programs would get relief from the disaster aid bill if passed. The Emergency Conservation Program could receive nearly $558 million and the Emergency Watershed Protection Program $435 million.

Don’t forget Puerto Rico, that would get $600 million for nutritional aid.

For communities affected by natural disasters, $600 million would be made available so the Economic Development Administration could fund development grants.

The Army Corps of Engineers would be getting $2.5 billion for flood and hurricane control, maintenance, repair and emergency operations.

Crop insurance for hemp would also be available from the USDA if the disaster aid bill had been passed.

The view the legislation in full, click here.

Read more at dtnpf.com

Tags: CongressDemocratsdisaster aid billdisaster relieffirefloodHouse of RepresentativeshurricanePresident TrumpPuerto RicoRepublicansSenateTrumpUnanimous consentUSDA

Previous Article

Where the Rubber Meets the Dandelion Root

Next Article

Will Trump's Mexico Tariffs Squall the USMCA?

Related Content

More Trade Aid on the Way
Business & Inputs

More Trade Aid on the Way

November 11, 2019
Trump Delays China Tariff Increase
Business & Inputs

Trump Delays China Tariff Increase

September 12, 2019
USMCA Ratification Stalls
Business & Inputs

USMCA Ratification Stalls

July 8, 2019
Agriculture Economic Barometer Survey
Business & Inputs

Agriculture Economic Barometer Survey

June 28, 2019
Mexico Tariffs Off, Confusion Remains
Business & Inputs

Mexico Tariffs Off, Confusion Remains

June 23, 2019
MFP Payments Might Be Available for Prevented Plant Acres
Crops

MFP Payments Might Be Available for Prevented Plant Acres

June 15, 2019
Next Article
Will Trump’s Mexico Tariffs Squall the USMCA?

Will Trump's Mexico Tariffs Squall the USMCA?

Newsletter

newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter for AgNook top stories each week!

Top Stories

More Trade Aid on the Way

More Trade Aid on the Way

November 11, 2019
Wisconsin Dairy Industry is Reeling

Wisconsin Dairy Industry is Reeling

September 28, 2019
Suicide Prevention Ag Nook

Farmers are Suffering and It’s Time to Take Action

September 14, 2019
Trump Delays China Tariff Increase

Trump Delays China Tariff Increase

September 12, 2019
Farmers on “Freeze Watch”

Farmers on “Freeze Watch”

September 10, 2019

Trending

Lawsuits Accuse Beef Packers of Price Fixing

Lawsuits Accuse Beef Packers of Price Fixing

April 30, 2019
Soybean Dicamba Injury Ag Nook

Tips and Tricks for Detecting Herbicide Drift

June 22, 2018
3 Crucial Tips for Cattle Water Management

3 Crucial Tips for Cattle Water Management

August 29, 2018
Corn Ag Nook

Why Aren’t Corn Prices Higher?

July 18, 2018
Early USDA Predictions Show Row Crop Shift

Early USDA Predictions Show Row Crop Shift

November 16, 2018

Most Popular in the last week

Pinkeye Treatment Options for Cattle

Pinkeye Treatment Options for Cattle

April 15, 2018
3 Crucial Tips for Cattle Water Management

3 Crucial Tips for Cattle Water Management

August 29, 2018
Recognizing and Preventing Pinkeye in Cattle

Recognizing and Preventing Pinkeye in Cattle

April 12, 2018
Land of Lincoln Has New Dicamba Restrictions

Land of Lincoln Has New Dicamba Restrictions

March 7, 2019
Cattle Grazing Systems AgNook

The Secret to Successful Grazing

November 15, 2018
Facebook Twitter
AgNook.com

  • Terms of Use
  • Contact
  • About AgNook
  • Advertise With AgNook
newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter for AgNook top stories each week!

© 2018 AgNook, LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Livestock
    • Crops
    • Business & Inputs
  • Markets
    • Market News
    • Market Analysis
  • Livestock
    • Cattle
    • Hogs & Pigs
  • Lifestyle

© 2018 AgNook, LLC

Don't miss out on AgNook top stories!
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our top news stories sent right to your inbox!