More than 80 amendments submitted for farm bill
June 08, 2012 | 11:08 AM
Senators had filed more than 80 amendments to the farm bill by 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Here is a list of senators, in alphabetical order, and brief descriptions of the amendments they filed. Many amendments also have cosponsors, who are not listed.
Here is a list of senators, in alphabetical order, and brief descriptions of the amendments they filed. Many amendments also have cosponsors, who are not listed.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.
- Make co-ops and other entities that get a business and industry direct or guaranteed loan for a wind energy project ineligible for other federal benefits
Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.
- Improve value-added agricultural products grants
- Limit government officials’ authority to award bonuses to employees under investigation for misconduct
- Require heads of agencies to certify the accuracy of all travel expenses for teleworking employees
- Modify the definition of fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security * Act of 1974 to exclude appraisers of employee stock ownership plans
- Require a GAO report on crop insurance fraud.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.
- Prohibit the Army secretary and EPA administrator from finalizing guidance regarding waters protected by the Clean Water Act
- Change cooperative arrangements for forest, rangeland and watershed restoration and protection services
Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska
- Require the Agricultural Research Service to operate at least one facility in each state
- Provide and improve housing in rural areas for educators, public safety officers and medical providers
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.
- Improve agricultural land easements
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
- Encourage the purchase of pulse crop products for school meals
Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.
- Establish conservation compliance for federal crop insurance
Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa.
- Authorize small operating loans for producers and farmers markets
- Require more frequent dairy reporting
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
- Limit crop insurance premium subsidies to farmers with an average adjusted gross income of $750,000. (With Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.)
- Prohibit the use of federal funds for political party conventions
- Prohibit individuals and entities with seriously delinquent tax debt from receiving federal farm subsidies.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
- Require the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to use reference prices for covered commodities in the standard reinsurance agreement.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
- Strike the reduction in the food stamp program and increase funding for the fresh fruit and vegetable program through cuts to crop insurance
- Require state agencies to determine certain eligibility for food stamps using a plan for interviewing households but not requiring that every applicant household be interviewed at application or that every household be interviewed at recertification.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
- Replace the food stamp program with a block grant
- Provide for permanent estate tax repeal.
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa
- Increase funding for the beginning farmer and rancher program
Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev.
- Prohibit members of Congress from participating in farm programs.
Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb.
- Clarify congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters
- Increase state efforts to transition food stamp participants off the program while eliminating the uncapped federal-state match for employment and training reimbursements
- Limit federal regulation of nuisance dust
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
- Allow the fresh fruit and vegetable program to include dried, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
- Extend eligibility for certain emergency loans to commercial fishermen
- Extend eligibility of the noninsured crop disaster assistance program to commercial fishermen.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.
- Require a study on the impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on obesity.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
- Increase criminal penalties for certain knowing and intentional violations relating to food that is misbranded or adulterated
- Provide a state option for cash equivalents for the purchase of locally produced commodities under the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983
- Support the state rural development partnership
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
- Require a report on the effects of budget sequestration on the Defense Department
- Prohibit the use of federal funds to construct, fund, install or operate blender pumps
- Eliminate subsidies for mohair and popcorn
- Repeal the sugar program
- Repeal the catfish inspection program at USDA that was included in the 2008 farm bill
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.
- Modify transparency and reporting with respect to applications by providers of broadband services
- Clarify the maximum distance between Farm Service Agency county offices for purposes of closure and relocation so that it will be by 20 driven miles.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska
- Improve water loans
- Make commercial fishermen eligible for certain operating loans
- Reauthorize the Denali Commission Act of 1998
- Forbid USDA from denying an application for a housing loan because the dwelling has a water catchment or cistern system
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
- Define navigable waters
- Repeal the Lacey Act which prohibits trade in illegally obtained wildlife, fish and plants
- Prohibit Agriculture Department employees from carrying firearms under certain circumstances
- Authorize the interstate shipment of unpasteurized milk
- Establish an adjusted gross income limitation of $250,000 on the farm bill payments
- Give states flexibility in administering food stamps to assure a nutritious diet
- Provide no assistance to Pakistan until Dr. Shakil Affridi is freed.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
- Promote maple syrup research and production
- Impose tariff-rate quotas on certain casein and milk protein concentrates
Sen. Jean Shaheen, D-N.H.
- Reform the sugar program
- Phase out the sugar program
- Limit crop insurance premium subsidies
Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine
- Require milk marketing order reform
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.
- Protect recreational hunting, fishing and shooting through the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012
- Support research on conventional plant and animal breeding
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.
- Prohibit the Labor secretary from finalizing a proposed rule related to child labor on farms
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.
- Eliminate the farmers market and local food promotion program
- Eliminate the margin coverage for catfish
- Eliminate the organic certification cost share program
- Eliminate the loan moratorium and policy on foreclosures
- Eliminate biorefinery, renewable chemical and biobased product manufacturing assistance
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.
- Increase access to broadband
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
- Amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana
- Establish a federal task force on childhood obesity
- Require that the U.S. Trade Representative provide documents related to trade negotiations to members of Congress and their staffs
- Require the Agriculture secretary to carry out pilot projects to improve nutrition under the food stamp program.